Students Demand Justice For Amir Locke During Walkout, Rally

ST. PAUL, MN — Students at Twin Cities schools walked out of class Tuesday to call for justice for Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man who was killed by police last week during a no-knock raid.

Students left Central High School in St. Paul around 11 a.m. and staged a large protest outside the school before walking to Gov. Tim Walz’s residence, less than a mile away, according to multiple reports.

The protest was organized by the school’s Black Student Union and the Minnesota Teen Activists group in response to Locke’s Feb. 2 killing by police.

RELATED: Amir Locke Killed In Minneapolis 'No-Knock' Raid: Video Released

Footage of the shooting from police-worn body cameras shows an officer using a key to quietly unlock the door to the downtown Minneapolis apartment where Locke was staying with family members.

Several officers shouted "search warrant" and "police search warrant" once inside the apartment. After an officer kicked the coach that Locke was on, Locke started to move under a blanket with a gun in his hand.

Police officer Mark Hanneman quickly shot him dead, according to the city.

RELATED: MN Gun Owners Caucus Defend Amir Locke In Fatal No-Knock Raid

Police were carrying out a no-knock search warrant that did not name Locke as a suspect. The Minneapolis Police Department conducted the search on behalf of St. Paul’s homicide unit, and told their counterparts they would only do the search if they had a no-knock warrant, the Star Tribune reported.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has since moved to ban no-knock warrants, though there are still exceptions under a recently announced moratorium. Frey has faced intense criticism in recent days for telling voters last year that he had banned no-knock warrants in the city.

RELATED: Jacob Frey Falsely Told Voters He Banned No-Knock Warrants

Videos posted to the Minnesota Teen Activists’ Instagram page show hundreds, if not thousands, of people gathering Tuesday for a rally outside Central High School as organizers spoke and led chants through a bullhorn.

“That classroom doesn’t need me today," one student said in the video. "My community needs me today."

“You came out here for one person today. What’s his name?” the student continued.

“Amir Locke!” the crowd roared back.

RELATED: Amir Locke's Cousin Charged In Homicide Investigation

William Hill, who is a restorative practices coordinator at Central High and an advisor for the Black Student Union, said during Tuesday’s rally that he was “just so excited to be with my people: the people who put their purpose and the people over privilege and pension.”

Hill led a moment of silence for Locke and “all of our fallen soldiers” and urged students to focus “on being constructive and not destructive” ahead of the march to the governor’s residence.

“Breathe in positivity, let go of negativity. Let’s breathe in focus and let go of distraction. Power to the people,” Hill said before leading a chant of “No justice, no peace.”

“I am with you every step of the way. Let’s be constructive and not destructive,” Hill said as students started to leave school property and head towards the governor’s residence.

Hundreds of Central High School students and others rallied Tuesday afternoon outside Walz’s home, protesting Locke’s death and sharing their experiences of racism and police brutality.

Walz had not responded to the student-led protests as of 3:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Walkouts were also planned at St. Paul's Capitol Hill Magnet School and Southwest, Roosevelt and Washburn high schools in Minneapolis, the Star Tribune reported.