Duluth, MN – The Idle No More group is demanding an answer from the Mall of America after the group received a letter concerning their upcoming Round Dance at the mall.
In a letter sent to the group, Mall officials asked that Idle No More cancel its “political protest” planned for New Year’s Eve. The mall says it prohibits any type of protests, demonstrations or debates.
The letter also went on to say:
“Any attempt by your group to conduct a protest is a violation of MOA policies and will subject your group to removal from MOA property and potential arrest by the City of Bloomington police department.”
Idle No More responded back saying the characterization of the Round Dance as a protest is inaccurate.
The group has invited Mall of America Management to join them during a news conference next week in the designated free speech zone to discuss Idle No More’s concerns over this letter.
We have included the full letter from the Mall of America on this web page.
It would seem to me, if the Mall of America (MOA) is privately owed, the MOA can decide who and what groups they will allow to perform or demonstrate on MOA private property.
It’s not a protest, it’s a flash mob. They allow other flash mobs, so why not this one?
Idle No More started out as a protest against Harper government legislation.
The article said “The Idle No More group is demanding an answer from the Mall of America after the group received a letter concerning their upcoming Round Dance at the mall” That suggests the Idle No More people provided advance notice.
Flash mobs just happen. Only the people involved know about them. If it were a flash mob, why would the Idle No More people give advance notice?
And who says MOA allows or wants flash mobs on its property?
1) Flash mobs don’t “just happen,” they are planned events. If they are expecting a large turnout, responsible organizers ask permission to use the space in question.
2) There have been countless flash mobs at MOA. Doesn’t take much research to see that:
http://youtu.be/syqcemAF8yw
http://youtu.be/waYaihugNWw
http://youtu.be/PLPEqn8ZLZ4
http://youtu.be/PJJAczegGSI
http://youtu.be/Ss3XnpLXTDY
1. Flash mobs don’t “just happen,” they are planned events. If expecting a large turnout, responsible organizers get permission of the location if it’s private.
2. Apparently I can’t post the links here, but just google how many flash mobs have occurred at MOA. If you watch the videos, it’s obvious that some of them couldn’t have happened without MOA support.
You said “it’s a flash mob”.
Here is the definition of a flash mob “a group of people summoned (as by e-mail or text message) to a designated location at a specified time to perform an indicated action before dispersing”.
That would mean the demonstration (flash mob) would happen quickly and come as a surprise to the management and others at the location (e.g. MOA).
It would be hard to stop a flash mob because it would be a surprise and be over before anyone could stop it if they didn’t want it.
Again, the article said “The Idle No More group is demanding an answer from the Mall of America after the group received a letter concerning their upcoming Round Dance at the mall”. That suggests the Idle No More people provided advance notice about the Round Dance to MOA management. Otherwise, how could it have responded in advance.
With advance notice to MOA management, that doesn’t sound like a flash mob.
And, as I aid before, it would seem to me, if the Mall of America (MOA) is privately owed, the MOA owners and management can decide who and what groups they will allow to perform or demonstrate on MOA private property.