Protesters to demand new police practices at St. Paul rally

Published 10:18 am Monday, January 19, 2015

ST. PAUL — Organizers of a large protest at the Mall of America last month are planning a march in St. Paul to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy and demand changes to police practices.

The 4-mile Black Lives Matter Minneapolis march is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday near Hamline (HAM’-lin) University. More than 2,000 people have said they’ll attend, according to the group’s Facebook page.

The march comes less than a week after St. Paul police shot and killed a young black man who they say drove his car at officers. Black Lives Matter wants an independent community board with disciplinary power to review police actions. They also want bias and cultural competency training for Minnesota officers.

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Similar marches are scheduled in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles and other metro areas.