Pro-Palestine demonstrators blocked traffic for hours on Hennepin Avenue on Sunday afternoon near the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis for at least the second time in a week.
During Sunday’s demonstration, at least one vehicle was reported to have driven through makeshift barriers and through the crowd at about 3:19 p.m. as demonstrators reportedly chased after the vehicle, according to police dispatch audio at the time.
Video obtained by Crime Watch from the time frame of the incident showed a mob of protesters surrounding the vehicle at the corner of Hennepin Avenue and Groveland Terrace.
Several people could be seen beating on the white vehicle and trying to break the windows.
Minneapolis – NEW only on @CrimeWatchMpls:
VIDEO of protesters mobbing a car that drove through the barricades near the Walker Art Center on Hennepin Ave Sunday afternoon.
Shots were also reported to be fired following/during the altercation.
We're checking to find out if… pic.twitter.com/GF4n0RIRfa— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) October 22, 2023
The driver was unable to proceed forward due to several vehicles parked across the roadway in a blockade formation on Groveland Terrace.
Video shows the driver make a U-turn through a pedestrian crosswalk to escape back in the direction he’d come from. The vehicle could be seen heading in the direction of I-94/I-394 in the video.
Within two minutes, the dispatcher updated to police that the “protest is firing shots down onto the freeway over 94 and Hennepin.”
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) October 23, 2023
Dispatch audio captured at least two Minneapolis police supervisors within 10 minutes instructing squads and officers to stay away from the area “out of sight” even after the report of the vehicle driving through the protest and the report of alleged shots fired.
Several far-left and pro-Palestine accounts attempted to push the narrative that the driver was a “counter protester” who drove through the crowd and even alleged he was the one who fired shots. But another video clip that surfaced showed the driver appeared to be a distraught elderly male.
Protesters who were blocking the road during a "die-in" solidarity with Palestine event claimed a man ran through their protest intentionally. Here's a video of the protesters mobbing the car of an elderly man who they say tried to run them over and shoot at them. pic.twitter.com/XhfCCiUOVa
— Dixie (@OSiiNT) October 23, 2023
More video clips surfaced shockingly showing demonstrators waving the Hamas terrorist organization flag. In one clip, people riding an ATV on Hennepin Avenue are shown flying the green flag while demonstrators can be heard shouting “freedom for Palestine,” and “up, up with liberation,” and “down, down with occupation.”
SHOCK: The Hamas flag was flown at a protest today in Minneapolis. A screen capture of a video from the protest is below. This is sickening. pic.twitter.com/B3mjuOEwVu
— Michael Brodkorb (@mbrodkorb) October 22, 2023
Protesters drove through Minneapolis today waving the Hamas flag: pic.twitter.com/LVS7BAcvmk
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) October 22, 2023
The X/Twitter account “@Taylr” that originally posted the videos from the demonstration in an attempt to show the pro-Palestine demonstration in a positive light, later deleted the videos showing protesters with Hamas flags, claiming they didn’t know they were Hamas flags, and then locked down their account.
Alpha News reached out to the Minneapolis Police Department for a statement on the events, and asked whether the group had an assembly permit, whether the driver had been identified, and whether it had been confirmed that any shots were fired.
“At approximately 3:23 p.m. on Sunday, officers from the Minneapolis Police Department responded to multiple reports of disturbances surrounding a demonstration near Loring Park, the Walker Art Center and the convergence of Hennepin Ave. and Lyndale Ave. Various witnesses reported a vehicle driving through the crowd, and one caller reported the sound of a gunshot. At this time, there have been no reports of injuries related to the demonstration, and no victims have come forward,” the police department said in response.
“The MPD investigated all reports of criminal activity from the beginning of the demonstration until it dispersed, and we are currently conducting follow-up investigations regarding this incident. There have been no arrests at this time.”
This story was updated after publication with a statement from Minneapolis police.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
