Seven protesters arrested at Occupy Minnesota march in downtown Minneapolis

Officials say they arrested four males and three females outside the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis. They are part of the ongoing protest in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York and dozens of other cities. Police say they were blocking traffic. (Photo: Graham Meyer)

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Oct 20, 2011

by Graham Meyer

Minneapolis police say they took seven protesters into custody Thursday. They are part of a group that broke off from a march in front of the U.S. Bank building and blocked traffic. Those arrested were part of a group that placed tents in an intersection at S. 6th St. and 2nd Ave. S. and chanted until taken away by police.

Police spokesman Sgt.Bill Palmer says those arrested ignored three warnings and a 15-minute waiting period. He says this is the first major incident in the protest centered at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis two weeks ago. They are the first multiple arrests connected to the protest.

The Occupy Minnesota effort is part of a larger protest against what organizers say is corporate greed and a concentration of wealth. It started on New York City's Wall Street and spread to dozens of cities across the U.S. and in other countries.