The St. Paul City Attorney’s office announced that all 46 protesters arrested during the I-94 protest on Saturday night will be charged with 3rd Degree Riot. Minnesota Statute 609.71 Subd. 3 Riot Third Degree reads: “When three or more persons assembled disturb the public peace by an intentional act or threat of unlawful force or violence to person or property, each participant therein is guilty of riot third degree and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $1,000, or both.”
As Alpha News reported, Interstate 94 was shut down for more than five hours on Saturday, July 9, 2016, when 200-300 Black Lives Matter protesters formed a human wall blocking both the eastbound and westbound lanes at Lexington Parkway. The demonstration turned violent, with protesters throwing bottles, rocks, rebar from a nearby construction site and fireworks at officers. When police finally cleared I-94 for traffic early Sunday morning, 21 officers had been injured and 46 adults and one juvenile had been arrested for rioting. One police officer has a fractured spine from having a cement block dropped on his head.
Updated 7/12/2016 6:50am
Andrea Mayer-Bruestle
Andrea Mayer-Bruestle is a former writer for Alpha News.