MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on Super Bowl protests (all times local):
7:55 p.m.
A Metro Transit spokesman says 17 people taken away after blocking a light-rail line carrying ticketholders to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis have been cited and released.
Howie Padilla says they were cited for unlawful interference with transit.
No one was hurt in the protest Sunday. Metro Transit had buses standing by to get ticketholders to the stadium in time for kickoff.
The activists said they were protesting police brutality, as well as the light-rail trains being taken over by Super Bowl spectators rather than being available to ordinary citizens.
___
6 p.m.
A Metro Transit spokesman says 17 people were taken away after they blocked a light-rail line carrying Super Bowl ticketholders to the stadium.
Howie Padilla says no one was hurt in the protest, which blocked trains for about two hours ahead of Sunday’s kickoff. Metro Transit had buses standing by to get ticketholders to the stadium in time.
The activists said they were protesting police brutality, as well as the light-rail trains being taken over by Super Bowl spectators rather than being available to ordinary citizens.
Padilla says Metro Transit doesn’t expect the 17 activists to face charges. He says Metro Transit respects people’s right to free speech and demonstration.
___
4:30 p.m.
Police in Minneapolis are removing protesters who locked themselves across a light-rail line near U.S. Bank Stadium, temporarily halting trains carrying fans to the game.
Live footage from the scene Sunday showed police working to unlock or cut locks the protesters had used at the stop near the University of Minnesota’s West Bank station. That’s about a half-mile from the stadium.
The live footage showed protesters in zip ties waiting to board a bus to be carried from the scene.
Protesters blocked the line shortly after 2 p.m., saying they were protesting police brutality as well as the light-rail line being turned over to Super Bowl fans for the day.
Metro Transit was busing fans the rest of the way to the game.
___
3:30 p.m.
A small group of activists protesting police brutality have shut down a light-rail line carrying fans to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis.
About 30 activists walked onto the city’s Green Line at the Stadium Village stop shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday, stopping trains in both directions. The line runs from downtown St. Paul to the heart of Minneapolis, and is a main way some fans are getting to the big game.
Chinyere Tutashinda, a spokeswoman for the activists, says some chained themselves along the track.
Metro Transit spokesman Howie Padilla says the agency has contingency plans to get riders the rest of the way to U.S. Bank Stadium. He says he’s confident they’ll be there for kickoff.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.