Seven OccupyMN demonstrators have been arrested for blocking traffic today after refusing to leave tents set up in the middle of the intersection of 6th Street S. and 3rd Av. S.
They are the first multiple arrests during the two-week anti-Wall Street demonstration.
The protest, which focused on the large number of foreclosures, began around noon when about 100 protesters set up four small tents on the sidewalk in front of the U.S. Bank building at 5th St. and 3rd. Ave. S.
The police watched but took no action, so the group then marched to the intersection on the other side of the building and set up the tents in the middle of the street. Railing against banks' foreclosing on homeowners, they chanted as police detoured traffic.
Police moved in and dismantled three of the tents, which were little more than boards and transparent plastic. The protesters enircled the one remaining tent and then pitched a second small camping tent.
The protesters eventually moved out of the street, save for seven who wouldn't leave the tents and assumed they would be arrested. They got their wish.
After they were warned over a bullhorn by Sgt. Gary Nelson, that failure to leave the imiddle of the intersection would lead to their arrest, the seven were taken one-by-one into custody by police who handcuffed them and took them to a nearby prisoner transport vehicle. Nelson said they would be charged with interfering with traffic, a misdemeanor under city ordinance.
It's the first instance of multiple arrests since the "occupation" of the Hennepin County government plaza began Oct. 7. A previous intersection sit-in ended without any arrests.
