Minneapolis, MN
University of Minnesota is closing these 13 buildings ahead of pro-Palestinian rally
MINNEAPOLIS — Several buildings on the University of Minnesota’s East Bank campus in Minneapolis are closed on Monday due to more pro-Palestinian demonstrations organized by students.
U officials announced early Monday afternoon that 13 buildings were closed at 2 p.m.:
- Coffman Memorial Union
- Ford Hall
- Hasselmo Hall
- Johnston Hall
- Kolthoff Hall
- Morrill Hall
- Murphy Hall
- Northrup Auditorium
- Smith Hall
- Tate Lab
- Vincent Hall
- Walter Library
- Weisman Museum
All other East Bank campus buildings will only be accessible to those with U Cards.
Organizers from UMN Divest announced on the rally’s flier, “The time for escalation has come.” They’re calling for U students, faculty and community members to attend Monday’s rally, which started at 2 p.m. outside Coffman Union.
Protesters also demonstrated on campus over several days last week, with eight students and a faculty member arrested on Tuesday morning for setting up an encampment on the Northrup Mall.
Demonstrators are calling for the U to divest from companies they say are aiding Israel in its “ongoing genocide in Gaza,” including Boeing, General Dynamics, Honeywell and Lockheed Martin. They also want to ban those companies from recruiting on campus.
U officials released a statement on Monday’s rally and closures, saying in part:
“We recognize that with freedom of expression comes responsibility. Protesters are expected to uphold the safety of others, not interfere with normal campus operations, and adhere to student and employee conduct policies. We urge everyone who engages to remain nonviolent, peaceful, and follow both state laws and University policies, including restrictions prohibiting tents and encampments on campus. Discriminatory vandalism and defacements such as stickers and graffiti—some of which promote violence—are hurtful to many and violate University and Twin Cities campus policies.”
The Council of Graduate Students, an organization representing the U’s grad students, called the short notice ahead of Monday’s closures “unacceptable,” and described it as an “attempt to halt the exercise of free speech and a right to demonstration.”
“Not only are students, staff, and faculty being blocked from sites that they should have access to as members of this community, but additional steps like turning off water fountains and blocking restrooms show a commitment not to safety but to escalation against protesters,” the organization said in a statement.
Similar protests have spread across college campuses over the past few weeks, resulting in hundreds of arrests. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared the protests to rallies in Nazi Germany.
The demonstrations at the U have been unnerving for many Jewish students who fear the rhetoric used by protesters could lead to violence.
A former U staff member is also suing the school after she says she was fired for posting a pro-Palestinian message on Instagram.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Last week, President Joe Biden signed an aid package to provide $26.4 billion to Israel.
This is a developing story. Stay with WCCO.com for more.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A man has died after he was shot in Minneapolis Wednesday morning.
Fatal shooting on Chicago Avenue
What we know:
According to Minneapolis police, officers responded around 11 a.m. to reports of a shooting on the 1900 block of Chicago Avenue.
Police say that a man in his 20s was shot outside a building on Chicago Avenue. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
What we don’t know:
Police did not say what led up to the shooting, and they did not share any suspect details.
Police did not say if any arrests have been made.
The Source: A press release from the Minneapolis Police Department.
Operation Metro Surge cost Minneapolis nearly $700 million in lost wages and business closures, according to an updated assessment city leaders released Wednesday.
The report looked at figures from December 2025 through April 2026. Previously, the city had released data showing that the federal immigration enforcement action cost the city $203 million in January alone.
The Whittier and Central neighborhoods were the most impacted, the analysis says, as those areas reported the most Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity during the surge.
Colonial Market’s Daniel Hernandez said he was selling just 15% of his stock during the surge at his south Minneapolis location. He had only just opened the grocery store in November 2024, and despite a strong start, revenue only declined as community members faced uncertainty about immigration policies. He said he’s forced to shut down his Lake Street location after losing $3 million.
“I might be in the floor right now but I know I’m going to go up again,” said Hernandez. “Because our community deserves a place that cares about them, and that place is us, Colonial Market.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey touted the city’s small business resiliency fund, which last week sent license fee refunds to 1,200 businesses.
“Minneapolis is resilient, we’re compassionate, we’re tough and we have consistently shown grit,” Frey said, while encouraging residents to patron restaurants and stores.
According to new research from North Star Policy Action, the state’s leisure and hospitality industry was the most deeply impacted sector across the state. The sector also represents 8.7% of the state’s workforce and is on average one of the lowest-paid industries, with most employees working paycheck-to-paycheck.
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