A protest allegedly over “occupying native land” erupted at the Mall of America on Black Friday. In the video of the incident, protesters can be heard banging native drums and chanting while standing in the mall’s rotunda.
— aurelie (@itaurelgrace) November 27, 2021
The video shows protesters dancing in a circle around a small gathering of mall security, drawing a small crowd of onlookers.
Minnesota Crime tweeted out saying that it was an “impromptu protest.” The group wrote, “Officers at the mall are reporting that an ‘impromptu protest’ has formed in the east rotunda of the mall.” It is unclear if the protest was a planned event or who was behind it.
Mall security allegedly asked for assistance from local police officers to disperse the crowd. The tweet reads, “Mall security is requesting additional officers to assist with moving the protestors out of the mall. Street patrol cars are responding to assist.”
The group of protesters did not appear to be large. One clip of the incident showed around 20 people standing in the rotunda. The footage shows some of the protesters on bicycles while in the mall.
Minnesota Crime said in an update that the crowd had “dissipated” and that participants were leaving the mall. It said, “Officers are watching the exits to make sure they don’t return.”
Not long after the protesting incident, Bloomington police officers were in pursuit of a stolen vehicle. The suspects, one of which was described as a “Native female,” then attempted to flee into the Macy’s store located at the Mall of America.
It is currently unknown if the two events are connected or not.
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Hayley Feland is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “Mall of America riot” by MN CRIME.
