Minnesota students set walkout demanding justice in Amir Locke's death

Youth activists are also calling for police accountability and a ban on no-knock warrants.

February 8, 2022 at 2:10AM
Minneapolis students gathered outside U.S. Bank Stadium in April 2021 as part of a statewide student walkout to protest racial injustice. The Twin Cities advocacy group MN Teen Activists is planning a walkout on Tuesday, Feb. 8, pver the killing of Amir Locke. (David Joles, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Student activists are set to walk out of classes Tuesday at several Minneapolis and St. Paul schools, joining protests calling for justice in the death of Amir Locke by a Minneapolis police officer.

Twin Cities advocacy group MN Teen Activists organized the walkout and called for others across the state to join in, according to the group's social media pages. Leaders are planning a noon rally at St. Paul Central High School and a march to the governor's residence on Summit Avenue in St. Paul.

The list of schools with students participating in the walkout include Central High and Capitol Hill Magnet School in St. Paul; and Southwest, Roosevelt and Washburn high schools in Minneapolis.

In addition to calling for justice and police accountability, the students also want no-knock warrants banned.

A representative from MN Teen Activists was unable to respond Monday evening.

Locke, 22, died after Minneapolis police executed a no-knock warrant in an apartment where he was sleeping on Feb. 2. According to body camera footage, Locke was sleeping under a blanket on a couch just before 7 a.m. when a SWAT team burst in yelling, "Search warrant!" An officer kicked the couch, and Locke stirred, holding a firearm in his right hand. He was shot by Minneapolis officer Mark Hanneman.

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about the writer

Alex Chhith

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Alex Chhith is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune.

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