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Arrests as Black Lives Matter protest hits major U.S. mall
What do you think of the Black Lives Matter protests at the Mall of America and the Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport? Paul International Airport during a Black Lives Matter rally near the nation’s largest mall.
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Dozens of stores closed their gates, kiosks were covered and even Santa left his sleigh shortly before protesters gathered at the massive shopping district on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Three were arrested for trespassing and one was arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct, ABC News said, quoting Bloomington Police.
The protesters aimed to draw attention to the death of Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old black man who was shot by Minneapolis police responding to a domestic assault call last month. They also want to ramp up the pressure on investigators to release video of the shooting. Justice! When do we want it?
Protesters get on light rail at the Mall of America transit hub.
Airport spokesman Patrick Hogan said Thursday that there’s no reason to believe there will be a repeat of protests that led to traffic backups and security checkpoint shutdowns at a secondary terminal Wednesday.
In November, a judge dismissed charges of unlawful assembly and aiding trespass against 11 Black Lives Matter organizers, but kept in place trespass charges against 17 individual protesters and said no group possesses a constitutional right to political demonstration over the objection of the mall’s private ownership and management.
In a statement, Black Lives Matter said the mall protest was a “decoy action”, a planned diversion while they shut down the two airport terminals and light rail. Susan Gaertner, an attorney representing the mall, said it does not allow any demonstrations on the property. “Because we will drag you out of that office for justice”.
Several stores in Mall of America are closing ahead of an expected protest organized by Black Lives Matter.
Around 500 people showed up in the mall, but they did not stay long after running into an advancing blockade of police officers, a reaction which they would have anticipated, given that plans to bring in a contingent of state troopers was made clear well in advance of the action. Mall security guards have also cordoned off parts of a central mall rotunda. Mall officials tried to block the protest, arguing the mall was on private property, but a judge only barred three organizers from attending.
“We are a leader-full organization”, Kandace Montgomery, one of the organizers barred by the judge’s order, told the Associated Press.
Mike Griffin, who joined similar protests previous year, said his flight to Chicago was among those delayed.
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“While I’m delayed an hour and a half to get back to my family for Christmas, I know there are several black families mourning the loss of innocent black men”, said Griffin, a 29-year-old from Minneapolis. “My mom is a little bit annoyed, but she’s going to see me this holiday season”.