Protesters, police face off in downtown Minneapolis; no arrests

Despite heated moments, there were no arrests.

September 25, 2020 at 11:57AM
Minneapolis Police officers worked to extinguish a fire outside the Hennepin County Jail Thursday night.
Minneapolis Police officers worked to extinguish a fire outside the Hennepin County Jail Thursday night. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minneapolis police faced off with about 100 people gathered Thursday night in downtown Minneapolis to protest local and national issues.

The demonstrators began their rally near the federal courthouse and then marched to several sites around downtown.

Among their grievances were the lack of charges in Breonna Taylor's March shooting death by police in Louisville, Ky., as well as Thursday morning's clearing of a homeless encampment in Peavey Park, in south Minneapolis.

The Minneapolis Park Board said the evictions occurred because of the growing size of the camp and its proximity to school property.

About an hour into their protest, the demonstrators set up a barricade that police, who were not present until well into the demonstration, eventually removed. For a time, a line of police officers stood about 40 feet from a line of shouting protesters, but there was no physical violence.As of 8:30 p.m., there had been no arrests, said Cyndi Barrington, spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Police Department.

The demonstrators blocked light rail tracks, delaying some trains and causing route changes, Metro Transit tweeted. At one point, they lit a small fire on the tracks.

Chants included, "No justice, no peace, kill all the police" and "Die, Donald Trump."

Earlier in the evening, there was at least one heated confrontation between a protester and a motorist, a witness said.

As darkness settled, the group thinned out and moved away from the jail. They walked along S. 4th Street toward U.S. Bank Stadium about 9 p.m.

Some protesters shouted at a Star Tribune photographer, telling him to stop taking photos and threatening to take cameras away. They chanted, "No more pictures," as they walked.

Up to 200 people gathered Thursday evening outside the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis to protest the lack of charges in Breonna TaylorÕs March shooting death in Kentucky. There was a least one heated confrontation between a protester and a motorist and protesters at one point tried to tear down a fence in front of the building, a witness said.
Up to 200 people gathered Thursday evening outside the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis to protest the lack of charges in Breonna Taylor's March shooting death in Kentucky. There was a least one heated confrontation. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky.
Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

about the writers

Aaron Lavinsky

Photographer

Aaron Lavinsky is a staff photographer for the Star Tribune covering news, sports and everything in between. He joined the visuals staff in 2014. 

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Erin Adler

Reporter

Erin Adler is a suburban reporter covering Dakota and Scott counties for the Star Tribune, working breaking news shifts on Sundays. She previously spent three years covering K-12 education in the south metro and five months covering Carver County.

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