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Black Lives Matter organizers to protest at Mall of America despite judge's order Black Lives Matter protest shuts down Mall of America and airport terminal
(about 4 hours later)
Black Lives Matter activists are planning to hold a demonstration at the Mall of America on Wednesday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The largest shopping mall in the US was locked down on Wednesday, after hundreds of protesters gathered for a Black Lives Matter demonstration which also caused an airport terminal to shut down.
Organizers expect to draw hundreds of protesters at the Minneapolis mall on the day before Christmas Eve, to draw attention to the police shooting of Jamar Clark, a black man who died the day after he was shot in the north of the city. Protesters met in the central rotunda of the Mall of America, which had warned demonstrators that they would be arrested for protests on mall property during one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Protesters chanted outside: “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!”
Demonstrators then took public transit to Minneapolis-St Paul International airport in an attempt to shut down a terminal. On Wednesday afternoon, the airport said it had closed a checkpoint for Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines because of the demonstrators.
Organizers said they were trying to draw attention to the police shooting of Jamar Clark, a black man who died the day after he was shot in the north of the city.
We shut it down. #BlackLivesMatter #BlackXmas #BlackXmas2 @BlackLivesMpls pic.twitter.com/9jlMTNgqc1
Clark, 24, was shot in the head by police following an altercation with officers and paramedics on 15 November. Police said at first that Clark was shot following a struggle, but eyewitnesses have said he was already in handcuffs when he was shot. Family members have described Clark’s shooting as “execution-style”.Clark, 24, was shot in the head by police following an altercation with officers and paramedics on 15 November. Police said at first that Clark was shot following a struggle, but eyewitnesses have said he was already in handcuffs when he was shot. Family members have described Clark’s shooting as “execution-style”.
Black Lives Matter demonstrators camped outside the city police station for three weeks following the 24-year-old’s death. The demonstrations are meant, in part, to pressure authorities to release video footage of the shooting.
Special event staff members searched bags at each Mall of America entrance and several stores closed early ahead of the protest.
A video screen in the central rotunda broadcast a message warning that the demonstration was not authorized and violated the mall’s policies. The message continued: “All participants must leave Mall of America property immediately … Those who fail to leave the property immediately will be subject to arrest.”
Earlier this week, the mall sought a court order blocking the planned protest. On Tuesday, a judge barred three organizers from attending the demonstration but said she does not have the power to prevent others from showing up to demonstrate. The privately owned mall had sought to block the entire Black Lives Matter group from protesting, saying the action would result in lost sales.Earlier this week, the mall sought a court order blocking the planned protest. On Tuesday, a judge barred three organizers from attending the demonstration but said she does not have the power to prevent others from showing up to demonstrate. The privately owned mall had sought to block the entire Black Lives Matter group from protesting, saying the action would result in lost sales.
“The court does not have a sufficient basis to issue an injunction as to Black Lives Matters or to unidentified persons who may be acting as its agents or in active concert with the Black Lives Matters movement,” Hennepin County district court judge Karen Janisch wrote.“The court does not have a sufficient basis to issue an injunction as to Black Lives Matters or to unidentified persons who may be acting as its agents or in active concert with the Black Lives Matters movement,” Hennepin County district court judge Karen Janisch wrote.
Related: Jamar Clark: calls for justice heard at funeral for man killed by policeRelated: Jamar Clark: calls for justice heard at funeral for man killed by police
The energy is intense as protesters block traffic outside Mpls airport terminal #BlackXmas #Justice4Jamar pic.twitter.com/fpKEMT3Y83
The judge also denied the mall’s request to order the organizers to remove posts about the protest from social media and to alert followers that the demonstration had been canceled. The organizers’ attorney argued during a Monday hearing that those demands were clearly unconstitutional.The judge also denied the mall’s request to order the organizers to remove posts about the protest from social media and to alert followers that the demonstration had been canceled. The organizers’ attorney argued during a Monday hearing that those demands were clearly unconstitutional.
Lawyers for the nation’s largest mall had requested a temporary restraining order to prevent the protest in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the massive demonstration that disrupted business and closed stores in the mall last year.Lawyers for the nation’s largest mall had requested a temporary restraining order to prevent the protest in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the massive demonstration that disrupted business and closed stores in the mall last year.
Thousands of demonstrators descended on Mall of America last December, angry over the absence of charges following the police killings of unarmed black men in New York City and Ferguson, Missouri. Stores in the mall had to close, and dozens of people were arrested. More than 1,200 demonstrators descended on Mall of America last December, angry over the absence of charges following the police killings of unarmed black men in New York City and Ferguson, Missouri. Stores in the mall had to close, and dozens of people were arrested.
Mall attorney Susan Gaertner had said a restraining order would make it clear that the mall prohibits demonstrations on its own private property.Mall attorney Susan Gaertner had said a restraining order would make it clear that the mall prohibits demonstrations on its own private property.
Gaertner said on Tuesday she was pleased with the ruling.Gaertner said on Tuesday she was pleased with the ruling.
“This ruling makes it clear that even before today, Mall of America has the right to say, ‘No, you cannot demonstrate here,’ and that it is a violation of the law to do so,” Gaetner said. She said she hopes that not only the organizers but anyone else who is thinking of coming to the mall “and breaking the law will think better of it”.“This ruling makes it clear that even before today, Mall of America has the right to say, ‘No, you cannot demonstrate here,’ and that it is a violation of the law to do so,” Gaetner said. She said she hopes that not only the organizers but anyone else who is thinking of coming to the mall “and breaking the law will think better of it”.
Gaertner stressed at Monday’s hearing that the mall’s opposition to the Black Lives Matter protest is not about their message, but the venue and the protest’s potential for disrupting last-minute holiday shopping.Gaertner stressed at Monday’s hearing that the mall’s opposition to the Black Lives Matter protest is not about their message, but the venue and the protest’s potential for disrupting last-minute holiday shopping.
Bloomington police have not said what security measures the mall may put in place to curtail the protest. It is unclear what additional steps the mall may take to curtail the protest. Kandace Montgomery, one of three organizers barred by the judge’s order, said the group was not deterred by the ban. She declined to tell AP if she or her fellow organizers still planned to go to the mall, but she said she expected at least 700 people to show up.
Kandace Montgomery, one of three organizers barred by the judge’s order, says the group is not deterred by the ban. She declined to say if she or her fellow organizers still planned to go to the mall, but she said she expects at least 700 people to show up.
“We are a leader-full organization. Just barring three of us does not mean that you’ve stopped our work,” she said.“We are a leader-full organization. Just barring three of us does not mean that you’ve stopped our work,” she said.
Black Lives Matter activists want to ramp up the pressure on investigators to release a video of Clark’s shooting, which authorities have said they will not do while state and federal investigations are ongoing.
Last month, four men were charged with shooting into a crowd of protesters outside a police precinct in Minneapolis. Protesters had been gathered there since Clark’s shooting just a few hundred yards down the road.Last month, four men were charged with shooting into a crowd of protesters outside a police precinct in Minneapolis. Protesters had been gathered there since Clark’s shooting just a few hundred yards down the road.
Officials filed charges on Wednesday against four men accused of shooting into a crowd of protesters in Minneapolis a week ago.
The Associated Press in Minneapolis contributed to this report.The Associated Press in Minneapolis contributed to this report.