Black Lives Matter: Protest but no disruption of Twin Cities Marathon

Co-written by her Gospel Machine bandmate Wes Burdine, the the song has been sung at Black Lives Matter protests around the Twin Cities, becoming something of a de facto anthem.

The group previously announced a plan to shut down the Twin Cities Marathon this weekend, a move that Coleman said was “an unacceptable risk” to runners, spectators and the protesters themselves.

The St. Paul, Minnesota, chapter of Black Lives Matter is planning to interrupt the “The Most attractive Urban Marathon in America” by marching to protest four separate occurrences of alleged police violence on civilians within this calendar year. Kyle tells the Star Tribune.

“Our voices are being listened to, ” Turner told reporters after the meeting.

“Folks will be able to gather and have their voices be heard, but they will not be disrupting runners from finishing the race or interfering with people that are coming out to watch the race, ” Coleman said.

On September 20, Turner’s group disrupted light rail service to a Minnesota Vikings game when protesters lay down along the tracks.

The 2015 Twin Cities Marathon begins Sunday, but the main storyline surrounding the 34th annual running of the race at the moment is planned protests. “And that’s where your right to free speech ends”.

“I am happy that we have a chance to have this dialogue”, Coleman said.

The planned protest by the St. Paul group, which is not officially affiliated with the national Black Lives Matter organization, raised fears that runners would be blocked from finishing the race, a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

“As a person of color of course I’m conflicted in that I understand that there’s a problem with race but there are other problems in the African-American community that go beyond just being black”, said Crystal Gail Welcome, from Georgia, who will run the event’s 10-miler on Sunday.

Alison Wade and  Rasheeda Frost contributed reporting to this article.