Autonomous March for Amir Locke Protests 5th Police Precinct and Uptown Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN – An autonomous protest for Amir Locke marched to the Minneapolis Police Department’s 5th Precinct and through the Uptown district, barricading the streets and leaving an array of anti-police messages painted in graffiti. The march on Friday night, February 11, featured around 100 people mostly dressed in black bloc attire. No arrests were made.

22-year-old Amir Locke was killed by Minneapolis Police Officer (MPD) Mark Hanneman as he took part in a SWAT unit serving a pre-dawn no-knock warrant on February 2, 2022. Locke, a registered gun owner, was sleeping in a blanket on his cousin’s couch before being awakened by an intruding SWAT units yelling various commands. Locke reached for his gun as he was startled into waking and was fatally shot by officers within two seconds.

Since MPD killed Locke, numerous press conferences and protests have occurred. Car protests have occurred downtown and at the Interim Police Chief’s house. Youth have held walk-outs from school and demanded justice at the Minnesota Governor’s Residence as well as at Minneapolis’ City Hall.

On February 8, hundreds marched to the apartment building where Locke was killed. Graffiti was sprayed on downtown walls and a window of a large hotel was broken. The next night, February 9, dozens protested outside Minnesota’s Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) calling for Hanneman’s police officer license to be revoked.

No charges have been pressed against Hanneman for killing Locke and no officers are facing departmental discipline stemming from the deadly incident. It’s reported that Hanneman is on paid leave from the department.

One of the main demands from protest organizers since Locke was killed was for Hanneman to be arrested. During the autonomous march on February 11, a participant held a sign that read, “Why the fuck hasn’t that murdering cop Mark Hanneman been arrested yet?”

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