Chaotic crowd downtown dispersed by Mpls. police

A group of more than 50 juveniles, probably teens, spilled into Nicollet Mall from Loring Park Sunday evening causing chaos until police got them to disperse, according to Minneapolis Police Department spokesman John Elder.

Around 6:30 p.m., they were fighting with each other, running around, being loud and pushing and slapping each other, Elder said.

"It didn't seem like it was malicious, angry fighting," he said. "There were bystanders around that these people got pushed into. It just made people feel unsafe."

Minneapolis Police along with transit and park police got the crowd to disperse, after a handful of arrests from those who didn't cooperate. The group caused "minimal" property damage, he explained, breaking outdoor patio items and planters on Nicollet Mall.

"It's very unusual. Period," Elder said. "To have that many youth in one area at one time is not common."

Elder said the motive or why the juveniles were running around in such a large group is not known.