BLOOMINGTON, MN – The city attorney of Bloomington, Minnesota has filed charges against 10 persons she considers to be “organizers” of a rally/protest held last month in the Mall of America that drew about 3000 people and disrupted shopping.
City Attorney Sandra Johnson says she will pursue restitution for “lost revenue” and $25,000 of police overtime to make an example of “ringleaders” of the December 20, 2014 incident.
Johnson filed charges Wednesday morning against 10 people she accuses of organizing last month’s peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration at the Mall of America. Johnson has said she will pursue restitution for “lost revenue” and $25,000 of police revenue to make an example of “ringleaders” to deter future demonstrations.
Defendants were charged with up to 8 misdemeanors with a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison and an $8,000 fine.
“These charges are absurd. The implications of forcing protesters to pay for police presence they didn’t ask for sets a dangerous precedent that could potentially affect all citizens and negates the very rights afforded by the constitution to peacefully assemble,” Said Mica Grimm, one of the defendants.
“We will not let these charges silence us. Our message that Black Lives Matter is needed more than ever as just hours ago St. Paul police took the life of another black man under muddled circumstances. Every 28 hours a black person is killed by police or vigilantes.”
The gathering of 3000 from all walks of life was part of a national movement formed in the aftermath of the recent police murders of Black teenager Michael Brown, Black father of six and husband Eric Garner, and Black 12-year old Tamir Rice.
The charges come despite a letter from Congressman Keith Ellison urging Bloomington City Attorney not to press charges against organizers. Minneapolis City Council members Alondra Cano and Cam Gordon wrote letters supportive of the organizers as well.
A petition asking the Mall of America to ask charges not be filed has gathered over 40,000 signatures.
“It’s clear that the Bloomington City Attorney has chosen to pursue charges as a way of stifling public protest and the voices of those who care about justice,” Said Defendant, St. Thomas Law Professor and Civil Rights Attorney Nekima Levy-Pounds. “We renew our call for police accountability and an end to the worst in the country racial disparities right here in Minnesota with immediate systemic changes.”
According to the ACLU Minnesota has the highest racial disparities in policing anywhere in the country.
On Monday, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis will hold a march in St. Paul. It was also reported that police earlier infiltrated the group in order to gain intelligence.
Good. Throw the book at them. They think they can disrupt other people’s lives and job’s with their cause, then they should have to pay for any loses by the working people. That includes the taxpayer’s. If they want to protest do it in a way that does not disrupt other innocent people. Otherwise they just might start something they will not like.
like those that blocked the bridge in boston this morning for hours.
Stand your ground and make them pay. Then ban them from the mall forever. Saying that, Every 28 hours a black person is killed by police or vigilantes.” doesn’t hold much water without proof. Why is that happening, is it because every 28 hours a black person is caught, doing something illegal and resists arrest. What about afro americans killing afro americans. I’ve read that nobody wants to talk about that, not even sharp Al.
@Allen-Last year 8,000 blacks were killed by other blacks in this country. Now, where do you think the real problem lies?
Exactly! The problem lies directly in the hands of the afro americans. Where do you suppose the aa’s that were born in the last 50-60 years learned that the white man owed them a living. Anybody born in the 40’s and later had/have the opportunity to get an education to the extent they wanted to take it. Somewhere along that line, there are parents telling their children it’s easier to let whitey take care of them instead of getting a good education and working. continued….
continued.. And if whitey doesn’t, we’ll just yell discrimination, and then, riot, rob’ loot, and burn his property.
Even though I am not against welfare as a whole it has been abused over the years. What I do find ironic was the parent program was started in 1939 by President Roosevelt and was amended and added to in 1996 by President Clinton, both democrats.
And God help us if we get another Clinton in there…