Minneapolis, MN – On Dec. 26, Mall of America (MOA) security approached a 14-year-old black girl about being present at the mall without an adult. After being told to leave MOA, the child walked around on the transportation platform and began trying to get change for $20 for bus fare. It was at that point that she was violently tackled to the ground by MOA security. The brutal encounter was caught on video by a passerby who happened to witness the incident.

“We will not tolerate abuse of children at the hands of MOA security or members of law enforcement. What happened to the child in question was completely unwarranted, unnecessary and traumatic. The security personnel in question must be held accountable for their abuse of a child,” said Nekima Levy-Pounds, President of the Minneapolis NAACP.

“These egregious actions on the part of MOA security must be taken seriously. We must raise the question of whether MOA security is engaging in retaliatory action against Black youths in the aftermath of the recent Black Lives Matter demonstration at MOA. The officers who engaged in abusive behavior of a child must be held accountable,” said Pastor Danny Givens, clergy liaison to Black Lives Matter Minneapolis, and member of Black Clergy United for Change.

The Minneapolis NAACP is calling on MOA management to fire the security officers who were involved in this unwarranted, violent attack on a 14-year-old girl; to issue a public apology to the family of the victim; to conduct racial sensitivity training and de-escalation training to prevent violent encounters as MOA security and Bloomington police interact with MOA visitors, especially children.

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