They are ‘disturbed’, that is for sure.
ST PAUL, Minn. (Reuters) – Several hundred protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement marched to the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday to bring attention to race issues ranging from policing to underrepresentation of minorities at one of the nation’s biggest state fairs.
The mixed-race crowd, including senior citizens and children, chanted slogans along the 1-1/2 mile route and briefly lay down on a bridge south of the fairgrounds.
“There’s a cliche that Minnesota is nice to everyone, but that’s not the case for people of color,” said 51-year-old marcher Tim, who did not want to give his last name because event organizers said they had received death threats.
“As a white person I want to be vocal about that … This (protest march) is a small inconvenience to state fair traffic compared to what people of color experience every day,” he said.
Fairgoers stopped to take photos of the marchers, organized by Black Lives St. Paul.
“We’re disturbed on a day-to-day basis. We don’t mind disturbing the status quo for one day,” said Trahern Crews, 40, an event organizer who is running for a seat on the St. Paul City Council.