Protesters show up at Bob Kroll's home demanding his resignation
CBS This Morning
Protesters seeking the removal of controversial Minneapolis police union leader Bob Kroll assembled outside his house in Hugo over the weekend.
Wearing t-shirts that read "KKKroll Must Go," a crowd showed up outside the home on Saturday afternoon, demanding his resignation for "routinely" defending "killer cops and who has dozens of complaints filed against him for excessive force," says a Facebook post from protest organizers.
They were also calling for the firing of Liz Collin, Kroll's wife, from her job as an anchor at WCCO; activists have expressed concern that their marriage creates a conflict of interest for Colin as a local journalist.
The event included speeches from activists such as filmmaker Toussaint Morrison and state House candidate John Thompson, while protesters took swings at piñatas depicting Kroll and Collin:
There were some tensions between demonstrators and Kroll's neighbors, a number of whom gathered outside their homes to watch the protest. One neighbor stood with a pistol tucked into his pants (pictured above), while some were called out for showing "Blue Lives Matter" signs and flags (WARNING: Video contains strong language):
Johnson's speech has garnered criticism for its confrontational tone, with Republican state House candidate Elliot Engen calling on Democratic lawmakers to speak out against the remarks.
In a press release, Engell says Johnson was "repeatedly screaming profanities including 'F--- Hugo,' and verbally harassing children in neighboring houses."
Urging state House Speaker Melissa Horton and Rep. Ami Wazlawik to condemn Johnson, Engell issued the following statement:
This was not a protest — it was a mob led by a future Democrat legislator whose goal was to harass and intimidate someone at their private residence, putting the safety of Hugo residents at risk. Speaker Hortman and Rep. Wazlawik need to send a message that this behavior is not acceptable. Their silence is a tacit endorsement of these dangerous tactics.
This was not the first protest targeting Kroll; there were demonstrations outside the police union office following the killing of George Floyd, with many angry at Kroll for initially defending the officers involved and having called Black Lives Matter a "terrorist organization."
