The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) has faced several lawsuits in recent years over their response to protests following the death of George Floyd, and many people accuse them of using scare tactics to violate individuals’ rights. In May of 2022, MPD was ordered to pay Jaleel Stallings $1.5 million for injuries caused by police during a 2020 altercation, and this is neither the first nor the last multi-million dollar lawsuit they are facing for their actions during the protests.

The First Amendment guarantees “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Some #protesters claim that MPD broke this law by arresting more than 600 people in November 2020. During the incident in question, several demonstrators were detained after they blocked traffic on freeways and city streets, leading to a five-hour standoff.

Police also employed crowd dispersal methods, including tear gas and rubber bullets. Some people believe that their response was excessive. They accuse MPD of using scare tactics to intimidate citizens into compliance rather than allowing people to exercise their freedom of speech.

Others believe that while freedom of speech is protected by the Constitution, infringing upon other citizens’ rights is not covered. They say that by blocking access to roads, the protesters violated others’ right to move about the city freely. Emergency vehicles would not have been able to travel through the crowds, which some believe constitutes a risk to public health.

The question up for debate: Did the police of Minneapolis violate the law as outlined in the First Amendment?