MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Around 10 p.m. Saturday night, Minneapolis police say a group of about 50 to 100 people marched from 4th and Chicago Avenue to U.S. Bank Stadium vandalizing buildings along the way.
Police say the group went as far as Elliot Park and dispersed on their own.
Donna Nelson spotted the graffiti on the Vikings ship while on her Sunday morning walk with her dog.
She lives near the stadium.
“There’s no reason to damage the town like this,” Nelson said. “I support peaceful protests and we all should, but this is not protesting.”
Will Fissel also lives nearby and says vandalism is just a way to keep the conversation going that started with George Floyd’s death.
“People are pissed and if this is what people need to do to be noticed, I’m kind of for it,” Fissel said. “How many people have forgotten about this in other areas? I think that’s why people break stuff. It gets attention.”
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office was also tagged, as well as signs leading up to the stadium and parts of the light rail stop.
Alicia Myers and her friend are visiting from Nashville, Tennessee and U.S. Bank Stadium was an important stop in their Twin Cities tour.
“We got here and I was like, ‘well dang that’s just so sad,’ and bringing a friend who has never been here I wanted to show her everything and it’s not as nice as it normally looks,” Myers said.
The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) told WCCO they are aware of vandalism and plan to clean it up as quickly as possible.
I’m a reporter, multi-media journalist and anchor. I currently work at KMOV, the CBS affiliate in St. Louis as a reporter/MMJ. But if you’re on this…More from Marielle Mohs