Following 'Black Lives Matter' Mall of America Protest, City Launches 'Attack' on Alleged Leaders

Fresh revelations that the  city of Bloomington, Minnesota is planning to go after perceived organizers of Saturday’s massive “Black Lives Matter” protest to sue them for money allegedly lost by the commercial center and police have raised alarm among activists and civil rights advocates.

“Youth leaders of color [are] under attack,” declared the Minneapolis chapter of Black Lives Matter in a statement released Tuesday. “It’s clear that the Bloomington City government, at the behest of one of the largest centers of commerce in the country, hopes to set a precedent that will stifle dissent and instill fear into young people of color and allies who refuse to watch their brothers and sisters get gunned down in the streets with no consequences.”

Thousands of people on Saturday flooded the mall, one of the largest in the world, calling for an end to institutional racism and police violence targeting black and brown people in Minnesota. The action was organized in conjunction with nation-wide protests aimed at intervening in the holiday commercial bustle to send the message: “While you’re on your shopping spree, black people cannot breathe.”

The demonstration received an outpouring of support, including from workers in mall stores, some of whom stepped outside of their establishments and raised their hands in the air in a show of solidarity. While the protest was peaceful, and no injury or property destruction was reported, large numbers of police confronted the crowd, including some wearing full riot gear, and 20 people were arrested.

Now, Bloomington City Attorney Sandra Johnson is vowing build a criminal case against alleged organizers, in a bid to win restitution for money allegedly lost by the mall during the partial shutdown of the commercial center, as well as by the police and city. According to an article published Monday by a local CBS affiliate, Johnson indicated that police are scouring videos and social media to identify supposed leaders. “The main perpetrators are those who continued on their Facebook site to invite people illegally to the Mall of America,” she said.

However, protesters say it was police who closed down areas of the mall, in a law enforcement response that was entirely unwarranted. “We came to sing carols and raise awareness,” said Lena K. Gardner of the Black Lives Matter – Minneapolis, “and the Bloomington police are the ones who shut down the mall, not us.”