Several hundred Black Lives Matter
activists shut down at least one terminal at the Minneapolis-St.Paul
International airport Wednesday for about two hours in an afternoon of
protest that began miles away at the huge Mall of America.
A total of 15 people were arrested at both sites, mostly for trespassing
or obstruction of justice, police said. No injuries or property damage
were reported.
The protesters not only disrupted rail traffic to the terminals, they
blocked the freeway in front of the airport, snarling holiday traffic on
one of the busiest travel days of the year.
The protest was aimed at drawing attention to the police shooting last
month of Jamar Clark, a 24-year-old black Minneapolis man. Clark died
one day after he was shot by officers responding to a complaint of an
assault.
Most of the protesters came to Terminals 1 and 2 by light rail from the initial demonstration at the mall in suburban Bloomington.
In anticipation of demonstrations at the mall, several stores, including a Starbucks and a Barnes and Noble, were closed around the central rotunda. Barricades were also erected on several levels nearby.
As protesters began assembling, the mall announced that the
demonstration was unlawful and asked the activists to leave the grounds.
Signs had advised visitors that many shops would be closed temporarily
during the early afternoon, when the protests were scheduled.
As police urged onlookers out of the rotunda, threatening arrests, many
protesters abruptly filed outside, toward a light-rail station. Many
chanted "What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!"
Many then went by light-rail to the airport, where they renewed their
demonstration. Some got into pushing and shoving matches with police and
airport security. Heavily armed police, trying to stem the arrival of
protesters, eventually assembled at the rail arrival platform to keep
people from entering the terminal.
Trains were eventually prevented from stopping at the terminals. After
more than an hour, as the protest dwindled, police then had to deal with
protesters who left the airport to return to the privately owned and
operated mall, which includes an amusement park and more than 500 shops
on four floors.
A judge on Tuesday ordered three organizers of the black activist
movement not to attend the protest but said she did not have the power
to block unidentified protesters associated with the group from showing
up.
Gov. Mark Dayton said Wednesday that 30 Minnesota State Patrol officers would be on hand in Bloomington at the request of the local police department.
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