The Neighborhood Reporter
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While covering the vigil for Ricardo in Olivia, We experienced something we had never seen before. The very same minute that Torres’ girlfriend was asking the crowd not to engage in any kind of violence or antagonistic behavior, her voice was slowly drowned out by the loud revving of engines in the street nearby. When we walked away from the vigil to see what was happening, we were greeted by American Flag clad pickup trucks that were engaged in antagonizing the mourners and leaving piles of smoke in their wake. MN State Troopers arrived a few minutes later and eventually deterred such activity from the “Anti-Activist” group.
06/17/2021
Community members, activists and organizers gathered in the intersection of Lake & Girard today to celebrate what would have been Deona Marie’s 32nd birthday. The day featured a march through Uptown Minneapolis, speeches from various organizers and birthday festivities.
As the night went on, tension between demonstrators steadily rose. Worried about disruption to the festivities by law enforcement, disagreements about whether to keep putting up barricades or to take them all down broke out. Organizers took down makeshift barriers of caution tape and Saran wrap saying that “the end goal [of the event] was to celebrate Deona’s birthday, not to fight with [law enforcement].”
Despite accommodating law enforcement’s request to keep people off the street, at about midnight, sherriff and MPD officers in full gear issued dispersal orders and made multiple arrests.
Photographer: Tracy Gunapalan
04/17/2021
A day after calm, chaos ensues.
While law enforcement initially remained at a distance from the fence today, the outcome was not the same as last night. As night fell on the mostly peaceful protest, a moment of relative peace was met with flash-bangs from law enforcement. While symbolically taking a knee for Daunte Wright, the concussive rounds were fired in the air.
There were a determined few who worked to push over the fence. However, others in the crowd successfully stopped them from doing so. These inner conflicts about how to deal with law enforcement seem to be increasing. Night after night, the majority of protestors remain peaceful in honor of Daunte Wright.
During a press conference held by MNOSN, Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington estimates that upwards of 100 people were arrested at tonight’s demonstration.
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