Minneapolis Mayor Faces Backlash Over Victory Speech

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey recently secured re-election, but his victory speech has sparked some criticism.

In a video, Frey spoke to a crowd, referring to them as “the great people of Minneapolis” and expressing gratitude to his supporters. He stated, “I say this intentionally because no matter where you’re from, Minneapolis should be a place you’re proud to call home.”

Despite his message, social media reactions were mixed, with some users expressing discontent over his use of a foreign language during the address. One commenter said, “It’s embarrassing. This is America.”

Another user pointed out Frey’s past actions, saying, “This man pretended to cry at Mr. Floyd’s funeral, got booed by his own town, threw a police officer under the bus, and now speaks Somali.” Some even labeled the speech as “sad and pathetic.”

Additional video showed Frey preparing for his speech while wearing a T-shirt that read “I Love Somalia.”

Frey recently won a third term after navigating a lengthy internal dispute within the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party regarding the endorsement process. The controversy included a withdrawal of support for state Sen. Omar Fateh due to issues with electronic vote counting during a party convention.

Fateh, a distinct voice in Minnesota politics as the first Somali-American Muslim in the state senate, criticized the party’s actions as an “insider game.” His campaign had previously attracted high-profile endorsements, including from Rep. Ilhan Omar and former Rep. Jamal Bowman.

Interestingly, two key Minnesota Democrats, Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, supported Frey’s campaign this year. Conservative commentator Jerry Callahan also weighed in, describing Frey’s speech as “humiliating,” emphasizing that it was disappointing for an American politician to appear to prioritize foreign sentiments over those of his constituents.