65 march to St. Anthony-owned liquor store in police funding protest

About 65 people marched to one of St. Anthony's city-owned liquor stores Saturday evening to protest the use of the stores' revenue in police department operations.

After gathering outside St. Anthony's City Hall, the group — which included both white and black protesters — marched down Silver Lake Road to St. Anthony Village Wine and Spirits at 2700 Hwy. 88.

The store was one of two nearby municipal liquor stores to close well before the 10 p.m. regular Saturday closing time.

Protesters declared victory, gathering at the store's entrance to rally and chant slogans such as "From Emmett Till to Phil Castile, no justice, no peace!" (Emmett Till was a black teen who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955.)

No one answered phones at either city-owned liquor store Saturday night. Signs on the front doors announced: "Closed for the remainder of Saturday, July 30th. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Stefanie B., a spokeswoman for the General Defense Committee of the IWW, which organized the protest, said: "We wanted to do something very direct that affects their revenue."

Becky Stouten of St. Anthony was walking when she encountered the protesters. "I feel like they're targeting the St. Anthony citizens by ruining our community," she said. "They're interrupting the community."

A flier handed out at the protest said it was organized by the General Defense Committee of the IWW, which claimed support by several activist groups, including Black Lives Matter-St. Paul. "There can be no profits while Philando and so many others receive no justice," the flier said. Marchers waved signs that read "No justice, no profits," and decried racism and Castile's death.

His shooting sparked protests around Minnesota, including several that shut down Summit Avenue in front of Gov. Mark Dayton's residence. Police peacefully cleared the protesters this week and reopened the avenue to traffic.

Allie Shah • 612-673-4488

@allieshah