About 200 protesters decrying the fatal police shooting of Thurman Blevins blocked the light-rail tracks around downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday evening.
Protesters decry Blevins death, block light rail in downtown Minneapolis
The protesters gathered in a circle, chanted and took a knee.
August 1, 2018 at 6:56PM
The group, which gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center at 4:30 p.m., began marching down the light-rail tracks shortly before 6 p.m. Some held signs, some of which said "Cops: Stop Killing People!" and "Please Don't Shoot Me," which Blevins said before he was shot.
They stopped and formed circles around several parts of downtown, including 5th Street and Marquette Avenue, 5th Street and Nicollet Avenue and along Hennepin Avenue. They scolded Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.
As the group held a moment of silence and took a knee while blocking a light-rail train, a woman rushed from the stop toward protest leaders screaming "I want to go home!" A protester then reached out to hit the woman after she tried to grab a sign.
They stopped to chant near the Target Field light-rail station around 7:30 p.m. as fans entered the stadium for a Twins game. The dwindling crowd then turned around and returned toward the Government Center about 8 p.m.
No protesters were arrested and no formal complaint was filed in the punching incident, according to Minneapolis police.
The protest came one day after Freeman declined to file charges against the Minneapolis police officers, Justin Schmidt and Ryan Kelly, who shot Blevins on June 23 after a foot chase in north Minneapolis. Body camera footage showed that Blevins had a handgun when he was shot.
Miguel Otárola • 612-673-4753
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