For a second year in a row the Black Lives Matter movement has led nationwide protests right before Christmas. Black Xmas, as the movement refers to it, is meant to remind people during this the “most wonderful time of the year” the black lives lost to police brutality. This year’s protest comes just days after it was officially announced there would be no indictment in the death of Sandra Bland—a black woman found dead in her jail cell three days after being arrested at a traffic stop. The protests hit Minneapolis’ Mall of America once again in addition to other big cities where airports and highways were disrupted. Protests have led to arrests.
A Black Lives Matter press release about Black Xmas read:
Mic reported the protests took place on a freeway before the San Francisco International Airport, Chattanooga, Tenn., Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Chicago at 3:00 p.m. EST. The most talked about demonstration has been at the Mall of America where officials had tried to file a restraining order against Black Lives Matter leaders to prevent a repeat of last year. Although protesters did show up the mall action was a part of a bigger plan. Black Lives Matter activist Miski Noor told the Chicago Tribune, "The mall was a decoy.” She was one of many who then traveled to the airport to continue to protest calling the ruse “effective.” Meanwhile Twitter users, some at the airport themselves, complained about the protest delaying flights. Other people tweeted about how protesters have stolen Christmas and not the lives stolen by police brutality not just this year but in years past.
Elsewhere Fox 11 reported a total of nine protesters “four women, three men and two boys” were arrested in Inglewood, Calif. Sgt. Paul Peterson of the West Los Angeles California Highway Patrol Office said "They painted names, words and slogans including 'Black Lives Matter' on the surface of all five lanes of pavement,” of the protestors on the 405 Freeway. Peterson said the protest started at 1:27 p.m. PST.
