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Des Moines City Council holds 14-hour meeting discussing police budget

Des Moines City Council holds 14-hour meeting discussing police budget
KCCI 8 NEWS AT 6:00. RHEYA: DES MOINES CITY COUNCIL HELD ITS LONGEST MEETING ON RECORD THIS WEEK. STACEY: NEW AT 6:00 KCCI’S , CYNTHIA FODOR SHOWS US WHY THE CONTENTIOUS SESSION WENT ON FOR TWO DAYS. REPORTER: THE MEETING WAS THREE HOURS MONDAY AND 11 HOURS WEDNESDAY. AT 14 HOURS, THE LONGEST MEETING EVER HERE. DOZENS OF PEOPLE CHIMED IN TO THE VIRTUAL MEETING, CONCERNED ABOUT $99,000 IN FUNDING FOR AMMUNITON FOR POLICE TRAINING. >> REMOVE EVERY [BEEP] FROM THIS COUNTRY. REPORTER: A SMALL NUMBER OF% PARTICIANTS ON THE ZOOM MEETING SHOUTED, SWORE AND INSULTED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR. >> UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE WERE MAKING RACIST AND VULGAR REMARKS, WE TRIED TO CUT IF OFF QUICK. REPORTER: DES MOINES BLACK LIVES MATTER ORGANIZER JAYLEN CAVIL SAYS HIS MEMBERS TALKED AT LENGTH ON EVERY AGENDA ITEM AS PART OF A PLANNED FILIBUSTER TO FORCE COUNCIL TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR COMMENTS AND THEIR CAUSE. >> THERE WERE A LOT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. WE TOOK THE ENTIRE 30 MINUTES FOR EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND SPOKE OUT. WHAT I SAW IN THE MEETING YESTERDAY WERE SO MANY CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ACTIVISTS, PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT DES MOINES. UNFORTUNATELY, IT SEEMED AS IF THE CITY COUNCIL WAS NOT TRYING TO LISTEN. REPORTER: HE SAYS 26 BLACK LIVES MATTER MEMBERS SPOKE OUT. A DIFFERENT GROUP KEPT CALLING IN WITH RACIAL SLURS. >> SO THERE WERE TWO GROUPS? >> THE BLACK LIVES MATTER GROUP, WE KNOW THEM AND THEY STAYED ON THE WHOLE TIME. THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CALLING IN BEING THE MOST DISRESPECTFUL WITH RACIST COMMENTS WERE JUST THERE TO INTERUPT THE MEETING. >> BLACK LIVES MATTER MEMBERS SAY THEY ALSO PLAN TO ATTEND THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON AUGUST 17. CYNT
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Des Moines City Council holds 14-hour meeting discussing police budget
The Des Moines City Council held its longest meeting on record this week by continuing the session for two days. The meeting lasted three hours Monday and then carried over to an 11-hour marathon Wednesday making the meeting a total of 14 hours. Dozens of people spoke during the virtual meeting concerned about the $99,000 in funding for ammunition for police training. A small number of participants on the Zoom meeting shouted, swore and insulted council members and Mayor Frank Cownie. "Unfortunately, people making racist and vulgar remarks, we tried to cut it off quickly," said Connie Boesen, a council member. Des Moines Black Lives Matter organizer Jaylen Cavil said his members talked at length on every agenda item as part of a planned filibuster to force the council to pay attention to their comments and their cause.About 26 BLM members spoke out. A separate group called in with racial slurs. Black Lives Matter members said they also plan to attend the next city council meeting on Aug. 17.

The Des Moines City Council held its longest meeting on record this week by continuing the session for two days.

The meeting lasted three hours Monday and then carried over to an 11-hour marathon Wednesday making the meeting a total of 14 hours.

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Dozens of people spoke during the virtual meeting concerned about the $99,000 in funding for ammunition for police training.

A small number of participants on the Zoom meeting shouted, swore and insulted council members and Mayor Frank Cownie.

"Unfortunately, people making racist and vulgar remarks, we tried to cut it off quickly," said Connie Boesen, a council member.

Des Moines Black Lives Matter organizer Jaylen Cavil said his members talked at length on every agenda item as part of a planned filibuster to force the council to pay attention to their comments and their cause.

About 26 BLM members spoke out. A separate group called in with racial slurs.

Black Lives Matter members said they also plan to attend the next city council meeting on Aug. 17.