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Demonstrations continue for seventh night in Brooklyn Center, one arrest announced

People gathered outside the Brooklyn Center police department on night seven of demonstrations after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a former officer.

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — Sunday, April 18

  • No reports of violence following a Saturday night demonstration outside the Brooklyn Center police station which continued after an 11 p.m. curfew went into effect
  • Officials: Only one arrest made in relation to demonstrations
  • A curfew for Brooklyn Center is in effect from 11 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday
  • A curfew for Champlin is in effect from 11 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Sunday

10 a.m.
According to Operation Safety Net officials, only one person was arrested Saturday night in relation to the demonstrations. The arrest was made by MPD. 

RELATED: Minneapolis police: Shots fired at National Guard members early Sunday morning

Saturday, April 17

11:30 p.m. Demonstration remains peaceful

Despite a more raucous tone that took hold after curfew, there are no reports of escalating tensions between law enforcement and demonstrators.

Public safety officials estimate the crowd has shrunk throughout the night to around 100 individuals, 30 minutes into the curfew.

11 p.m. Curfew hits, mood around police station changes
KARE 11's Gordon Severson says that the mood outside the Brooklyn Center police station has changed significantly as an 11 p.m. citywide curfew takes hold - with crowds becoming "louder and more vocal with law enforcement."

Just before the curfew, public safety officials with Minnesota's Operation Safety Net were thanking the crowd for remaining peaceful.  

10:50 p.m. High profile civil rights leader attends demonstration

KARE 11's Gordon Severson captured a moment on camera depicting US Representative Maxine Waters attending a demonstration for Daunte Wright outside of the Brooklyn Center police department. Several hours earlier, the demonstration was also visited by Reverend Jesse Jackson.

10:40 p.m. Crowd appears peaceful as curfew looms

Public Safety officials estimate there are still more than 300 individuals partaking in a demonstration outside of the Brooklyn Center police station, as a curfew is set to go in effect at 11 p.m. citywide.

9:15 p.m. Hundreds crowd the fencing outside Brooklyn Center police department

While demonstrations have appeared to remain peaceful, the crowd has nearly doubled in size in the last few hours, according to KARE11 reporter Gordon Severson. Curfew in Brooklyn Center and Champlin will go into effect at 11 p.m. Brooklyn Center's curfew will be lifted at 6 a.m. Sunday, while Champlin's curfew will be lifted at 4 a.m. Sunday.

8 p.m. Hennepin County Sheriff's Office establishes flight restriction
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office has established a temporary flight restriction in Brooklyn Center near the police department. The restriction went into effect at 8 p.m. Officials have not yet said when the restriction will be lifted.

7:30 p.m. Night seven of demonstrations underway

Seven nights after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a former Brooklyn Center police officer, a crowd of demonstrators has gathered outside the city's police department.

At this time, it appears demonstrations have remained peaceful.

5:38 p.m. Church members hold prayer 'sing-a-long' among protests
Members of the Kenyan Community Seventh-day Adventist Church located next to the Brooklyn Center Police Department joined together for a prayer "sing-a-long," praying for the safety of protesters in the streets. 

4:55 p.m. Governor Tim Walz responds to allegations of police harassment toward journalists

Some journalists covering Brooklyn Center protests alleged officers have harassed and assaulted them despite a temporary restraining order issued Friday, prohibiting police at these protests from arresting journalists or using force against them. Following these allegations, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announcing on Twitter he had convened a meeting with media and law enforcement to find a path to move forward, protecting journalists covering civil unrest.

Additionally, the Minnesota State Patrol released a statement announcing MSP will not photograph journalists or credentials but will continue to check media credentials to prevent journalists from being detained "longer than is necessary."

4:35 p.m. Brooklyn Center issues curfew

Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott has issued a citywide curfew from 11 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday. This action follows six nights of unrest outside Brooklyn Center PD after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by former officer Kim Potter.

4:30 p.m. Law enforcement publish Friday night's arrests

After a day of mostly peaceful protesting, escalating tensions Friday night led law enforcement to clear crowds outside Brooklyn Center PD and make arrests.

Officials with Minnesota's Operation Safety Net (OSN) now say a combined 136 individuals were arrested in Brooklyn Center following multiple dispersal orders to clear the area.

Officials held a press conference early Saturday morning outlining their response to sustained protests six nights after Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a former Brooklyn Center police officer.

While law enforcement leaders say they had hoped to continue facilitating the more peaceful elements of Friday's demonstrations with a more distanced approach, there were pockets of aggressive behavior that posed a threat to officers, as well as attempts to breach the station's outer ring of fencing, which spurred action from law enforcement to clear the immediate area.

Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said throughout the night, and particularly from 8 p.m. onward, officers came under threat from a variety of new individuals who began to approach and contest the area around the police department with items like baseball bats, plywood, shields and "liquid products."

There were reports of some protesters shaking the perimeter fencing, while lobbing objects over the fence at officers on the other side. 

Harrington outlined how attempts to breach the outermost ring of fencing by more belligerent protesters were handled with some amount of restraint, with officers repairing the breach and backing off rather than immediately proceeding to clear the area around the station.

Nevertheless, Harrington says more violent protesters continued to contest the area around the perimeter fencing, which led to law enforcement issuing roughly three dispersal orders, followed by a command to clear and secure the area surrounding the police department, which led to some arrests.

"This is a night that should have been about Daunte Wright ... recognizing his death and the tragedy that that is. Tearing down a fence, coming armed to a protest, is not in my mind fitting a peaceful protest," Harrington said.

Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson echoed that sentiment saying, "We need to grieve. We don't need to have more problems with deputies hurt, with officers hurt."

Officials have since released a video illustrating the types of gear, weapons, and munitions brought to the protest by certain attendees. 

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