U.S. Bank Stadium Protester Pleads Guilty To Misdemeanor
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – One of two protesters at a Minnesota Vikings game in January 2017 pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor public nuisance charge on Tuesday.
The other protester had a burglary charge dismissed, but will go to trial in August for disorderly conduct and trespassing charges. Karl Zimmerman and Sen Holiday were each charged after they hung from a banner at a Vikings game, protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Minneapolis police were called to U.S. Bank Stadium on Jan. 1, 2017, as the Vikings were hosting the Chicago Bears in their regular season finale. The two were spotted rappelling from a catwalk and banner, protesting the pipeline. Security officials had to evacuate fans sitting below the two as a safety precaution.
Court documents state the two gained access to the catwalk by entering an area restricted to the public. They jumped a fence or railing, and climbed up a ladder.
Both had tickets to the game and used climbing equipment that they got past stadium security. The banner they hung from read, "USbankDIVEST #NODAPL" in protest of the pipeline.
Both hung from the banner for a majority of the football game and wouldn't comply with officers demanding them to come down.
Zimmerman pleaded guilty to misdemeanor public nuisance charge, and a gross misdemeanor burglary charge and trespassing charge were dismissed. He was sentenced to one year supervised probation and 30 hours of community service. Holiday had a burglary charge dismissed, but will head to trial in August.