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Protesters Leave Plaza After Police Cite Public Nuisance Law

April 7, 2012 9:08 PM
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Occupy Minneapolis protesters left Peavey Plaza with tents and signs in hand after a brief, verbal confrontation with police Saturday night. But they came back.

The protesters left the downtown Minneapolis plaza around 8:30 p.m. after police said they were going to evict protesters, citing a public nuisance ordinance. Lt. Dean Christensen read the law on a megaphone, but the protesters drowned out the reading with chants and shouts.

Police said they are evicting the protesters because they are obstructing ways into the plaza and the Minnesota Orchestra.

On the Occupy Minnesota Facebook page, the protesters said they saw the law as a clear attempt to suppress their First Amendment rights.

Police arrested at least one protester.

When they left the plaza, the protesters picked up their tents without breaking them down and walked to Loring Park, where another group of protesters has gathered in hopes of occupying the park all summer.

As the protesters walked down Nicollet Mall, they chanted: “No justice, no peace, we’re taking it to the streets.”

Police set up a mobile command station along 11th Street.

Protesters Return

The protesters returned to Peavey Plaza around 10:30 p.m. They came with tents in hand. Police said they would not interfere with the protesters’ right to assemble as long as they do not set up the tents.

They night appears ripe for conflict, as the protesters tweeted that they want to retake the plaza. “Give us the Plaza, you can have the streets,” they said.

The protesters also tweeted at Minneapolis police saying: “Gonna give us the plaza, or are we going to march all night?”

At 10:55, the protesters said they were on the move again. They tweeted: “Crowd drowning out MPD eviction announcement, headed back to the streets….Whose streets? OUR STREETS”

View Comments
  • just do it

    How about they occupy Nicollet Mall between 4th and 7th st so we don’t have any more flash mobs???? I love how the police are more worried about these protesters then the actual criminal element DT.

    • Bob

      I agree..

  • occupy liberal neighborhoods

    how about we occupy the streets in front of their homes and claim the right to assemble and freedom of speech. ill invite my friends and we can stay there all summer long. its not like i have anything worthwhile to do(work, play, learning, accomplishing things). for effs sake.

  • http://occupynewscenter.com/protesters-re-occupy-minneapolis-plan-to-stay-all-summer.html Protesters Re-Occupy Minneapolis, Plan To Stay All Summer | Occupy Movement News

    [...] Update: protesters at Peavey Plaza left Saturday night after a confrontation with police. Protesters… [...]

  • Ryan R.

    Why don’t they occupy the Minnesota Democrat party and Union Halls?

    • Mitch

      Because that would disrubt the communist party’s way of doing things. And you don’t bite the hands that pay for your tickets, and supply the free” attorneys…

      • Dudley Do Right

        Where do I get one of those free attorneys? The city of St. Paul owes me $500.000.00 for assault by a police officer.

  • http://www.consumerwebsource.com/?p=13731 ConsumerWebSource.com » Blog Archive » Protesters Re-Occupy Minneapolis, Plan To Stay All Summer

    [...] Update: protesters at Peavey Plaza left Saturday night after a confrontation with police. Protesters… [...]

  • F

    Go home . Get a job and stop running up our taxes.

    • Jim

      Nobody wants to hire a dirty hippy except for the co-op grocery stores. Maybe if they shaved their beards, cut their hair and washed it once in awhile and stopped smoking so much damn weed, they could get somewhere in life already…

  • ipmutt

    Mainstream media has got to stop encouraging these people. We have got to stop encouraging mainstream media

  • Patrick

    They have never actually defined what it is they are marching for. Please give something tangible

    • John Frykman

      They want more free stuff. After all, there is only so much wealth. It has been around since the beginning of time (God created it, not entrepreneurs) and fairness demands we all get an equal share.

      Of course, once the freeloaders have spend all the wealth on iPhones, they will have to get religion and pray to God for him to create more wealth to be equally distributed.

  • Sick of Stupid

    The Occupy people are a bunch of nut jobs.

    But I hate to see the police oppress people’s rights.

  • not quite

    The formula in the USA is simple. Step 1: don’t be lazy, Step 2: Hustle harder than the next guy, Step 3: Stop making excuses. 4: Collect the benefits from your skills and hard work. 5: Live a nice life and demand nothing from anybody.

  • Oops

    All the negative commenters occupy their mother’s basements.

  • Kevin

    Go WCCO! Go!!!! Do report after report on this 0000005% of MN……we love reading about this slim being busted……I hope they fight back someday so they get a proper stomping……

  • Johnny

    If all you people think the protesters are nut jobs then why do you care enough to spend your Easter complaining about them? With all of you reading about them and commenting of course WCCO will continue to cover the story. You might not agree with them but they are exercising their constitutional right.

  • leaf erickson

    They don’t have a constitutional right to disturb the peace and be a collective nuisance.

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