[Mpls] Environment Activist Not Welcome

[ZippinZack]

After the dust cleared today from the city of Minneapolis work crews at Heritage Park, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Flowers and myself decided to evaluate the progress. This resulted in lies being told to armed security guards, the Minneapolis Park Police and the Minneapolis Police Department. All of this occurred as Minneapolis department head Kim Havey, and two unidentified participants watched for over 40 minutes from the same city sidewalk that we stood on.

The security, park police and city police department all of course were armed with firearms. We were armed with a camera. When the police arrived, we waited for about ten minutes while the property manager told the police that we had been all over the construction site. This was not true. When I heard these statements, I told Ron Edwards, "man we better leave, this could get very ugly." It was clear to me that the property manager felt comfortable when telling tall tails and who knew what was about to be said. Mr. Edwards agreed with me that we should leave even though we had done nothing wrong. As we attempted to walk down the city street to our car, we were stopped and asked for identification by Minneapolis police. The result was us being told not to come back or we would face trespassing charges.

Warning! If you are an environment activist. Do not go to Heritage Park. You may also be detained and insulted by the security guards in front of the city and park police. Oh yes, the police stood by as the security guards heightened their verbal abuse and insults in a very threatening manner. I asked the officer three times to ask the man to stop. After the man made the statement to me "I will put you under the ground," the officer asked him to move down the sidewalk. It was clear that this man was trying to intimidate me and put a show on for the property management and Minneapolis department head Kim Havey as they watched from a short distance away.

So much for the embarrassment and intimidation that we encountered.

Here is what we found out before they headed us off. The playground had been dug up. The contaminated wood chips were used again. But now they are also covered with toxic mud. I have pity for the child that falls in this playground, then puts their toxic muddy fingers in their mouth. I was told that drain tile was going to be put in the playground so that it would drain off. Inspection of the playground revealed that drain tile had not been installed.

The pond was full to the brim. It bubbled like a pot on a stove. Why does it bubble? What is the petroleum like substance floating on top of the pond? Why did the city leave it full of black liquid?

As I looked at the new Basset Creak I noticed that it has sewer like drainage pipes that drain into it. Where are these pipes coming from? What type of substances will come out of them into Basset Creak? I noticed that the improper low elevations and drainage of the development has many drain grates. What type of fluid will travel down these drains to Basset Creek?

If you are an environmental activist, a humanitarian, or feel for defenseless children's well-being, chance it. Chance going to Heritage Park. Chance being confronted by our Police department, the Park Police, and the hired security, as they are directed by the management of Heritage park and city department heads watch on.

In the coming days, the city will be devastated at what it hears about Heritage Park.

Zachary Metoyer
8th ward
Central