As Twitchy reported yesterday, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., filed a restraining order in an effort to prevent Black Lives Matter Minneapolis from again staging a protest at the mall on Dec. 23, one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The mall argued that last year’s protest resulted in double-digit decreases in sales and commissions.
A judge today barred three specific individuals from protesting at the Mall of America. The mall had asked that the organizers of the protest, who have been using Facebook and Twitter to promote it, be compelled to use the same social media outlets to cancel the event.
The judge has approved in part and denied in part the restraining order against BLM
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) December 22, 2015
Three named members on suit are barred from protest at MOA
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) December 22, 2015
All other parts of the restraining order request including public cancellation are denied
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) December 22, 2015
MOA says it will be an illegal demonstration and those who participate can be charged, but judge refused to stop it https://t.co/VwyJ3oaHm8
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) December 22, 2015
The judge said MOA provided no proof that BLM is a legal entity that can be sued.
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) December 22, 2015
Judge also said there is no proof who posts on FB for BLM, and FB exists outside the mall so they don't have right to say what they post
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) December 22, 2015
Here’s something: Judge Karen Janisch did acknowledge that the Mall of America is indeed private property and not a public forum. Still, that leaves the responsibility of dealing with disruptive protesters up to mall security and the police. The Star-Tribune reports that Bloomington Deputy Police Chief Mike Hartley declined to comment on how security would be handled during Wednesday’s demonstration.
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Judge noted that MOA is private property (as determined by MN Supreme Ct) and anyone who chooses to protest could face trespassing charges.
— Lou Raguse (@LouRaguse) December 22, 2015
https://twitter.com/sh634113/status/679429019956195328
The protest will apparently go on as planned, but Rep. Pat Garofalo notes that a casualty of the chaos will be an eighth-grade choir concert by students at Minnetonka Middle School West, which had been scheduled at the same time.
https://twitter.com/PatGarofalo/status/678100024861982720
https://twitter.com/PatGarofalo/status/679136287073300480
https://twitter.com/PatGarofalo/status/679148281755140096
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