Black Lives Matter plans to march at Twin Cities Marathon

Protestors chanted
Protestors chanted, "Whose streets? Our streets!" as the BlackFair march, organized by Black Lives Matter St. Paul, heads up Snelling Avenue toward the Minnesota State Fair in late August.
Courtney Perry for MPR News

Black Lives Matter St. Paul says it's planning to disrupt next weekend's Twin Cities Marathon.

Rashad Turner, an organizer with Black Lives Matter St. Paul, said the group will be protesting recent cases of police brutality in the city, including the forcible arrest of 15-year-old Tyree Tucker and his mother at a Frogtown church picnic last week. "Part of our job is to agitate," Turner said.

"If you put clothes in the washing machine and you don't press that button to agitate it, it's not going to get clean. So we sort of look at our jobs as to agitate, to disrupt. And if that means making a few people angry, well that's probably good, because then it will make them start to think about why we're angry."

Turner's group is planning to meet at 10 a.m. on Oct. 4 at St. Paul's Boyd Park, about a half-mile from the finish line.

Marathon organizers said they're aware of the protest plans and are working with city officials to ensure the safety of all those participating in the race.

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