The Minneapolis City Council has set May 21 as the date for the public hearing over the city's Lurking Ordinance. Council member Cam Gordon introduced a repeal of the ordinance, which reads: "No person, in any public or private place, shall lurk, lie in wait or be concealed with intent to commit any crime or unlawful act (385.80)."
As a member of the Coalition to Repeal the Lurking Ordinance, the ACLU-MN argues that the law is unconstitutionally vague, giving police officers too much discretion in determining if a person is about to commit a crime. It has been proven that the ordinance is being used in a discriminatory manner. In an analysis of arrest data from 2003 through 2007, it has been found that African Americans are 8 times as likely to be arrested for lurking compared to Caucasians, and a homeless person is 20 times as likely to be arrested as a non-homeless person.
After the public hearing on May 21, the City Council's Public Safety Committee will decide whether to recomend or not recomend a repeal of the Lurking Ordinance to the full Council
If you would like to help put an end to this discriminatory law you can:
- Tell your Minneapolis City Council member to support the repeal of the Lurking Ordinance. Council members' contact information can be found at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/
- Come to the public hearing at 1:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber Room 317, City Hall.
- Download a "fact sheet on lurking" to learn more
- Contact Jana Kooren to find out more ways to volunteer or to sign up to speak at the public hearing. 651.645.7 4097 x123 or jkooren@aclu-mn.org,