Somali Independence Day festivities provoke lawsuit

This year's celebration of Somalia's Independence Day in Minneapolis had to survive a court fight as rival groups jousted over who should host the annual festival.

A group of Somali business owners, along with Karmel Mall owner Basim Sabri, sued the City of Minneapolis and Ka Joog, a prominent Somali youth organization, seeking to block last Saturday's Independence Day Festival. A federal judge dismissed the suit, but the controversy continues.

The suit was filed after the city denied plaintiffs a permit to host an event July 9 on Lake Street between Pleasant and Grand avenues. City licensing manager Grant Wilson informed them that Ka Joog had applied a year before "for the same date and location."

Abdul Ibrahim, owner of the Hall of Fame barbershop in Karmel Mall, accused Ka Joog of hijacking the event from the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota in 2013.

"[Ka Joog] copied our information from 2012 application, inserted their name and submitted it before we applied," he said in a court document.

Sabri and Karmel properties argued the festival blocked access to the properties.

In an interview, Ka Joog's executive director, Mohamed Farah, said the group was invited to take on hosting the festival by Said Fahiye, the former executive director of Confederation of Somali ­Community in Minnesota.

After two weeks in court, the suit was dismissed and an agreement was reached, plaintiffs' attorney Robert Speeter said. The block event was reduced from three to two blocks, he said.

Farah said his group wants to bridge the cultural and tribal divide inside and outside the community. "We're hosting not only to celebrate Somali Independence Day but to also build ties between Somalis and greater community."