The cost of handling protests over the shooting of Philando Castile rose to at least $1.5 million for St. Paul — up $500,000 in the past week.
Though it was a St. Anthony police officer who fatally shot Castile in Falcon Heights on the night of July 6, protests largely have been held in St. Paul.
People gathered outside the Governor’s Residence beginning early July 7. An encampment remained there around the clock until Tuesday when police arrested about 70 people in the area into early Wednesday morning.
Officers have been blocking a stretch of Summit Avenue since Tuesday night, not allowing vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists in front of the governor’s mansion. Police spokesman Steve Linders said Wednesday that the department will reopen the road “when it’s safe to do so.”
Of the estimated $1.5 million St. Paul has spent on protests, the vast majority — $1.3 million — was for police costs though the end of Tuesday, said Tonya Tennessen, the mayor’s spokeswoman.
Protest organizers contend the city is wasting taxpayer money on peaceful demonstrations.
“Realistically, all it is is they’re protecting the interest and the property values of this neighborhood,” said Curtis Avent, a leader at the protest outside the Governor’s Residence, on Tuesday morning. “They’re not protecting the interest of the people. … There’s no reason for them to come here as a militarized force and try to stop us from peacefully protesting.”
The preliminary cost for St. Paul as of July 17 had been $1 million. Most of the money at that point — $750,000 — was spent July 8 to July 11 — including the protest that shut down Interstate 94 in St. Paul.
The city has not ruled out asking the state or federal government for assistance, Tennessen has said.
The Ramsey County sheriff’s office spent an estimated $56,000 in Castile protest costs between July 7 and July 19. Information about costs to the Minnesota State Patrol and Metro Transit was not available Wednesday.
POLICE ARREST 70
Demonstrators say they have taken to the streets because they are seeking justice for Castile, and reforms to police practices and training.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension continues to investigate the fatal shooting of Castile. A BCA spokeswoman said Wednesday that she didn’t have a time frame for when the agency will refer its findings to the Ramsey County attorney’s office for review.
At the protest around the Governor’s Residence, police had issued citations sporadically.
But Tuesday marked the first day officers took a large number of people into custody. Police arrested or cited at least 46 people Tuesday on charges ranged from obstructing legal process to disorderly conduct to unlawful assembly to public nuisance.
Then, as night fell Tuesday, the number of protesters swelled to more than 100 gathered in the road at Summit Avenue and Oxford Street. Police and deputies were lined up across Summit, blocking access to the Governor’s Residence.
The St. Paul police department requested mutual aid because they “needed assistance managing the situation” and seven other departments assisted, Linders said. Officers from Woodbury, West St. Paul and Oakdale were among those holding the line with St. Paul officers.
Police announced several times that protesters were participating in an unlawful assembly and they were subject to arrest. Each time, the group reacted with a renewed round of chants.
At 2 a.m. Wednesday, an officer announced, “You are all under arrest” and a line of police pushed the protesters out of the intersection. Police arrested and cited the remaining 23 people for public nuisance and unlawful assembly.
2 OFFICERS TREATED AT HOSPITAL
St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell said Tuesday afternoon that his officers are tired and have been “dealing with these very difficult situations.”
Two St. Paul officers were taken to Regions Hospital on Tuesday to be treated for heat exhaustion and they were released, according to Linders.
He added that he doesn’t know how the protests have affected the department’s response times, but Linders added, “we’re doing the best we can to manage call loads.”
For example, the department is using a contingency plan for responding to less serious car crashes. It’s typically put in place during snowstorms that result in many crashes.
Officers still respond to crashes, but they don’t write reports — they facilitate drivers in exchanging information and provide them with crash forms to fill out themselves, which frees them up to respond to other calls, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a St. Paul police spokesman.
Jaime DeLage and Sarah Horner contributed to this report.