Democrat Rep Called Mayor Frey During Trump Rally Asking Him to Stop Using Pepper Spray on Violent Protesters

Minnesota State Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-Minneapolis) said she contacted Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and asked him to direct law enforcement to stop using pepper spray on violent protesters outside the Target Center during President Donald Trump’s Thursday night rally.

“I am on 6th and Hennepin. I just received a call from Mayor Jacob Frey that he spoke with the Chief and honored my request that they not use anymore chemical irritants on the crowd,” Gomez said on Twitter, asking her followers to alert her if she saw any “chemical irritants being used.”

Please let me know if anyone sees chemical irritants being used. It is an unnecessary escalation. I am thankful that our chief and mayor see the wisdom of de-escalating.

— Aisha Gomez (@RepAishaGomez) October 11, 2019

“It is an unnecessary escalation. I am thankful that our chief and mayor see the wisdom of de-escalating,” she said.

She later clarified that Police Chief Medaria Arradondo agreed not to use pepper spray in one particular situation but “not in general tonight.”

“Mayor Frey clarified that he spoke with Chief who told him that they were not going to use mace. The mayor did not ask/order the Chief not to use. He also said that when he told me that no mace would be used he was referring to that exact situation and not in general,” Gomez wrote on Twitter.

Mayor Frey clarified that he spoke w/ Chief who told him that they were not going to use mace. The Mayor did not ask/ order the Chief not to use it. He also said that when he told me that no mace would be used he was referring to that exact situation and not in general tonight.

— Aisha Gomez (@RepAishaGomez) October 11, 2019

She later expressed frustration that “chemical irritants” were still being used by police, arguing that it’s the “wrong approach for crowd control.”

The anti-Trump protests remained peaceful for most of the night, but escalated when Trump supporters started leaving the venue.

In one case, an older man in a blue jacket was leaving the rally by himself and was punched by a protester after someone yelled: “There’s a Nazi over here!”

Video captured a group of protesters slapping, punching, and pushing him before he ran away.

A man in a blue jacket seemed to be leaving the Trump rally by himself when he was spotted by a protester who yelled: “There’s a Nazi over here!” A group of protesters then attacked the man, slapping and pushing him. He finally ran away. pic.twitter.com/jzYaWgca9g

— Jenna Johnson (@wpjenna) October 11, 2019

Others had debris thrown at them and were slapped in the face while leaving the rally, as The Minnesota Sun reported.

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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Aisha Gomez” by Aisha Gomez.  Background Photo “Cops-Protesters” by Aisha Gomez.