Trump-supporting Minneapolis police federation leader sends his members a letter calling George Floyd a 'violent criminal' and blasting the city for not cracking down on riots sooner

The president of the Minneapolis police union has called George Floyd a 'violent criminal', described protesters demonstrating over his death terrorists and criticized the city's politicians for not sanctioning greater use of force against them in a letter to union members. 

Lt Bob Kroll, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, also defended the four officers involved in Floyd's death, including Derek Chauvin who is facing charges of murder and manslaughter. All four officers have been fired.

A video of the arrest on on May 25, in which Derek Chauvin knelt of Floyd's neck for over eight minutes until he died, went viral and sparked protests and riots across the U.S which have now lasted for seven days and led to the National Guard being deployed.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune released the full copy of the letter written by Kroll, who appeared at a Trump rally in October last year.

'What is not being told is the violent criminal history of George Floyd. The media will not air this,' he wrote.

'I've worked with the four defense attorneys that are representing each of our four terminated individuals under criminal investigation, in addition with our labor attorneys to fight for their jobs. They were terminated without due process.' 

While Floyd had served time in prison for aggravated robbery, and it is unknown if Chauvin knew this as he detained him, video footage of the arrest shows that Floyd was not behaving violently towards the police, nor was he armed or suspected of a violent crime.

A coroner has since confirmed that Floyd's death was homicide. Dr Allecia Wilson of the University of Michigan, one of the two forensic doctors who performed the independent autopsy, said the evidence pointed to homicide by 'mechanical asphyxia' meaning from some physical force that interfered with oxygen supply.  

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Lt Bob Kroll, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, speaks at a Trump rally in October, 2019, where he praised him as a 'wonderful president' for his support of the police

In his letter, Kroll also blamed city officials for not giving police enough support to deal with the protests and riots that have broken out in Minneapolis following the death of Floyd.

'What has been very evident throughout this process is you have lacked support from the top,' he wrote, addressing union members. 

'This terrorist movement that is currently occurring was a long time build up which dates back years. 'Starting with minimizing the size of our police force and diverting funds to community activists with an anti-police agenda. 

'Our chief requested 400 more officers and was flatly denied any. This is what led to this record breaking riot.'

He went on to claim that the police have not been given the necessary permissions to use certain equipment, writing 'the ability for our officers to use gas munitions and less lethal munitions to defend ourselves' has been 'held back'.

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Protests have broken out in a number of U.S. cities following the death of George Floyd, including in Minneapolis (pictured, June 1), the city where Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes until he died. The killing sparked angry protests and riots against police brutality

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George Floyd, pictured, was not behaving violently towards the police, nor was he armed or suspected of a violent crime when he was detained by Chauvin

Cop presses knee on George Floyd's neck until he's motionless

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Minneapolis' governor Tim Waltz claimed on Saturday that the city and its neighbor city St. Paul were 'under assault' by people from outside the cities, and suggested that up to 80 per cent of people looting and setting fire to some buildings were outsiders.

'The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,' Waltz said. 'It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great city.'

He also blamed elements of 'domestic terrorism', which Kroll echoed in his letter.

Arrest records have shown that Waltz's claim was false, and that 80 per cent of people arrested were from Minnesota, with half being from Minneapolis.

Former Minneapolis police chief Janeé Harteau was quick to condemn the letter. She tweeted a copy of the it, writing: 'A disgrace to the badge! This is the battle that myself and others have been fighting against. Bob Kroll turn in your badge!'

Harteau -  who resigned from the police department in 2017 following a police shooting of Australian woman Justine Damond by a rookie officer -  suggested that Kroll's comments represented attitudes that had prevented her attempts to reform the police department.

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Pictured: Kroll's letter to members of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. In his letter, he defended the four officers fired for the killing of George Floyd, and criticized city officials for their response to subsequent protests and riots

Kroll has been a vocal supporter of President Trump in the past, appearing at a Trump rally in Minneapolis in October 2019 where he praised him as a 'wonderful president' for his support of the police.

For a long time he has pushed back against police reforms in the city. In 2007 he called Keith Ellison - then congressmen and now Minnesota's attorney general - a terrorist because he pushed for reforms. Ellison is Muslim and black.  

In a lawsuit filed by the current Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo alleging racism in the police department, Kroll is accused of wearing a motorcycle jacket with a white-power patch and of a 'history of discriminatory attitudes and conduct', according to Mother Jones.  

Kroll has reportedly been the subject of at least 20 internal affairs investigations. For example, as a young officer in 1994 was suspended for five days for using excessive force. This decision was later reversed by the police chief.

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Kroll, pictured in uniform in 2018, now reportedly represents over 800 rank-and-file police offivers, and has led the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis for five years

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Pictured: A group of demonstrators gather at a makeshift memorial honoring George Floyd, at the spot where he was taken into custody, in Minneapolis, June 2

He now reportedly represents over 800 rank-and-file police officers, and has led the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis for five years.

In his letter, he also criticized top city officials for not commending the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) for their work in combating the protests and riots.

'I've noted in press conferences from our mayor, our governor, and beyond, how they refuse to acknowledge the work of the MPD and continually shift blame to it. It is despicable behavior. How our command staff can tolerate it and live with themselves I do not know,' he wrote, before praising the city's police officers.

'No one with the exception of us is willing to recognize and acknowledge the extreme bravery you have displayed through this riot. You have my utmost respect.'

However, the MPD have faced criticism for their response to the protests and have been accused of using excessive force.

In one instance, MPD officers and members of the National Guard marched down a residential street in Minneapolis and shot paint canisters at people on their own front porch, while many people have been reportedly shot by rubber bullets. 

Last week, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was forced to declare a state of emergency, and in addition to a number of examples of police using what could be deemed as excessive force, there have also been instances of violence against officers.