Metro Transit To Halt All Bus And Light Rail Service Through The Weekend
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Metro Transit announced they will be canceling all bus and light rail transit starting at 4 p.m. on Thursday. And as of 7:30 p.m. they say that all service is suspended through the weekend.
Out of concern for the safety of our customers and our employees, Metro Transit will suspend all bus and light rail service through the weekend. METRO Blue Line airport shuttle service will continue to operate. More at https://t.co/uiNBvrQWdu
— Metro Transit (@MetroTransitMN) May 29, 2020
Metro Transit said they made the decision in anticipation of protests scheduled throughout the city Thursday evening.
Early Thursday morning, Metro Transit said they would be stopping Blue Line trains, but as the afternoon continued, they extended the cancelation to include the Green Line and all bus routes.
Out of concern for the safety of riders and employees, Metro Transit bus and light rail service will be suspended from 4 pm thru at least the rest of Thursday, May 28 (airport shuttle and Northstar trips will operate). Update to be posted on social media channels by 10 p.m.
— Metro Transit (@MetroTransitMN) May 28, 2020
The announcement came after a chaotic Wednesday night, as protestors clashed with police over the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died in police custody Monday night. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd; as the night wore on, protesters lit fires and looted the businesses near the intersection of Lake Street and Hiawatha Ave.
The power also went out on Hiawatha Avenue, along the tracks of the Metro Blue Line.
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The exception to the transit cancelations include the Blue Line airport shuttle between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and Northstar trips.