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Mpls. Activist Speaks About Arrest, Alleged Attack

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Community activist Al Flowers says he could feel every blow given to him by Minneapolis Police officers during an arrest at his home late Saturday night.

Flowers was arrested on charges of assaulting an officer after an altercation with police inside his home.

WCCO sat down with Flowers as he describes a night he hopes no one ever has to experience.

"I've got grandkids and I felt like I did not know if I was going to see them," Flowers said.

Al Flowers says he's lucky to be OK after his arrest by Minneapolis police.

"All I felt was punches," he said. "Over 30 to 40 times, I mean, just successive punches."

The community activist and former mayoral candidate says he did nothing wrong.

"I don't know what happened that night," he said. "I did everything I was supposed to do right. And I still end up with staples in my head, stitches in my eye and my ribs I don't know what's going on."

Flowers says the officers came to his home saying they had a warrant for a teenager who lives there.

"If it had of been about my daughter, then she was saying 'I'm right here. I'm right here. And they still attacked," he said.

When Flowers asked to see a copy of the arrest warrant, he says officers responded with violence.

"I was stumped, stumped in my back and kicked. The first two officers did the majority of what's up top because they were the ones choking me," Flowers said.

"I am frustrated, I'm sure our entire department is frustrated," Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau said.

At a news conference Sunday Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau asked the public to be patient while the incident is investigated.

Flowers say the staples, stitches and bruises are not enough to stop him from his passion for helping the community.

"I've got to continue doing what I do so this don't happen to my son, or my nephews or any community members. Nobody should get treated like this right here, and I never thought I would," Flowers said.

Flowers also said he too wants people to remain calm until the investigation is complete.

Minneapolis police say there's more to the story.

In a statement, Chief Harteau says the entire department is frustrated because they cannot comment as this case moves through the legal process.

For that reason, they're asking members of the general public to withhold judgment.

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