State Fair's Main Gate Temporarily Closed Over Protest--'Boycott Target'
Source: Newsweek
Published Aug 31, 2025 at 10:15 AM EDT
A protest briefly derailed the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday, forcing organizers to close a main entrance as demonstrators disrupted traffic.
According to a notice on the fair's website, Gate 5 was temporarily closed at around 1 p.m. local time, with buses paused and pedestrians directed to another entrance. Traffic resumed when the gate was reopened following the demonstration at 2:32 p.m., the notice stated.
Why It Matters
The Minnesota State Fair is an annual event which this year runs from August 21 through September 1. Also known as the "Great Minnesota Get-Together," the fair is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. by attendance, attracting nearly 2 million visitors last year, and around 1.4 million as of Friday, per its own official estimates.
What To Know
The website did not list the motivation for the protest, though CBS News reported that the dozens of participants were holding signs, including one which read, "Boycott Target." The company, which is headquartered in Minneapolis, has been battling protests and boycott calls this year, in response to the company's decision to roll many of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments in early 2025.
Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/minnesota-state-fair-main-gate-temporarily-closed-target-boycott-2122305
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that included protesting the Twin Cities handling of recent shootings including one from a decade ago.
Word on the StreetSunday, Aug 31, 2025 3:31 pm ET
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The Minnesota State Fair's main gate experienced a temporary closure on Saturday afternoon due to a protest that unfolded on Snelling Avenue and Midway Parkway. Beginning just after 1 p.m., Gate 5 was closed briefly to accommodate the demonstration, which was part of the 10th Annual Not Fair: Stop Taking Cheap Shots Rally that started at Hamline Park in St. Paul. Attendees of the fair were redirected to enter through alternative gates, while buses utilizing the main entrance were also paused during the protest.
The rally, primarily organized by Black Lives Matter, drew attention to a range of social issues. Among the placards carried by demonstrators was one calling for a boycott of Target, although the group did not attempt to enter the fairgrounds. The protest was framed by organizers as a peaceful demonstration to highlight community oversight of police and honor the memory of Marcus Golden, who was fatally shot by St. Paul police in 2015. Monique Cullars-Doty, an activist from Black Lives Matter, led the march in tribute to her nephew, seeking to draw attention to the ongoing need for justice and community reform.
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By KSTP
Updated: August 30, 2025 - 4:43 PM
Published: August 30, 2025 - 2:46 PM
(snip)
St. Paul police say they were closely monitoring the protest organized by Black Lives Matter, which started at Hamline Park and went to the front gate of the state fair.
Of course it's nothing but a whole lot of "Democrats doing nothing" and making non-POC fearful.
