Report calls out abuse of social media by Minneapolis police

By STEVE KARNOWSKI
Associated Press

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Among the scathing findings of an investigation launched after the police killing of George Floyd is that the Minneapolis Police Department used covert or fake social media accounts to monitor Black activists and organizations. And it did so despite having no clear public safety rationale for doing so. The report released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights echoes past revelations of surveillance by other law enforcement agencies targeting prominent people and communities of color even though they weren’t doing anything illegal. Experts say what happened in Minnesota is also happening in many other jurisdictions because there are few rules in place and no accountability.