Alleged gang members say they'll stay away from Minnesota State Fair this year
Between a judge's order and voluntary agreements, the State of Minnesota and Ramsey County achieved legal blockades against ten people accused of planning gang violence at the Minnesota State Fair, after years of gang fights and gunfire have caused chaos at the fairgrounds.
Earlier this month, Attorney General Keith Ellison and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi filed a civil lawsuit against ten alleged members of the "Muddy" and "Ville" gangs. The lawsuit came in response to social media posts indicating planned fights on the fairgrounds.
"Our offices identified, through several social media posts in July and August, that two of these rival gangs, Minneapolis-based Muddy and south metro-based The Ville, had planned a large violent confrontation at the fair," Ellison said at a press conference Thursday.
"We're simply not going to allow violent activity to endanger the safety of fairgoers," continued Ellison. "We will protect people's right to have a good time at the Great Minnesota Get Together."
Two of the defendants fought their cases, with their attorneys making similar arguments; they believed that the state did not afford their clients due process and failed to clearly define why they were being considered gang members. A third defendant did not make a filing in court or respond to the initial lawsuit.
"The plaintiffs base their claims on one-sided unreliable hearsay," one of their attorneys wrote in a court filing.
On Thursday, Judge Sara Grewing granted the state's order, concluding that prosecutors had met the evidence threshold for a civil injunction after reviewing testimony from investigators. The order establishes Muddy as a legally recognized gang.
The members are allowed at the fair, but can't confront anyone, use gang signs, or associate with any other known members.
"Criminal law is a tool we use as a society hold individuals accountable after they have committed criminal offenses. Civil law is a tool we can and should use to help prevent crimes before they happen, and that's what we've done here," Ellison said.
Over the course of the week, the seven other defendants signed legal agreements. They have promised to not come to the fairgrounds but reject the allegation that they are part of Muddy or Ville, according to court filings and their attorney, Joshua Preston.
"They had no intention of going to the fair this year and now that they've signed their names in this agreement with the state they're committing that they will not go," Preston said.
The legal agreement means that they will not enter the fairgrounds itself or a "safety zone" that extends around the fairgrounds.
Specific members of law enforcement will be on the lookout for the alleged gang members and will have the authority to escort them off the grounds.
As of now WCCO is choosing not to name the three gang-members.
