City Set To Charge Protest Leaders Over Mall Of America Disruption
“The main perpetrators are those who..."
Avatar of B. Christopher Agee B. Christopher Agee — December 23, 2014
One of the countless protests that have taken place across the U.S. in recent months occurred during the last weekend before Christmas at the nation’s largest shopping mall. According to WCCO, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ demonstration Saturday at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., caused widespread disruption, a significant reduction in customer traffic, and posed a serious safety risk to those trapped by the protesters.
As a result, City Attorney Sandra Johnson is preparing charges against organizers who rallied the mob to meet at the landmark mall during the exceptionally busy shopping weekend.
Police were on hand to shut down dozens of stores as the protest began, resulting in what one mall employee described as “staggering” numbers of individuals blocking entrances and exits.
“You had people yelling and screaming inside the mall that wanted out,” Nate Bash said, “and you had people yelling and screaming outside the mall that wanted in.”
Because of the disruption, he estimated the mall “was less than half of as busy as it should have been considering what day it was.”
Organizers relying heavily on social media invitations were reportedly instructed that the mall is private property and such a demonstration would constitute a violation of the law. Johnson said her office is attempting to determine which individuals played a role in staging the protest as it determines whom to charge.
“The main perpetrators are those who continued on their Facebook site to invite people illegally to the Mall of America,” she said.
The potential remains for additional charges against those who led the protesters through the mall.
“If we can identify those people who were inciting others to continue with this illegal activity,” Johnson said, “we can consider charges against them too.”
Read more at
http://www.westernjournalism.com/city-set-charge-protest-leaders-mall-america-disruption/#OBEfLV4A8vgaUVsl.99
