Monday, December 16, 2013

U of M crime alerts spark backlash

U of M crime alerts spark backlash: MINNEAPOLIS--Black students at the University of Minnesota say racial descriptions in crime alerts does not help catch suspects. Instead, it's hurting black male students.

There have been more than two dozen crimes on or near the U this year.

Crime alert after crime alert describes many of the suspects as young black males.

"There are a plethora of young black men on campus who fit that description," Abdel-Kader Toovi, a college senior and vice president of the Black Men's Forum on campus, said.

Ian Taylor, a junior and president of the Black Men's Forum, said many of their members have expressed concern over how other students treat them.

"You might walk a certain side of the street and someone might walk the other way or the other direction…just this feeling that people feel unsafe around you," Taylor said.