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Minneapolis scooters ride onto I-35W, around downtown
A TikTok flyer drew hundreds of scooter and bike riders to a meetup near U.S. Bank Stadium before the group moved through downtown Minneapolis. Witnesses reported 200-300 Lime scooters riding onto I-35W.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A large group of scooter and bike riders took over downtown Minneapolis Saturday night, drawing the attention of police and state patrol after some participants rode onto I-35W.
Scooter riders gather after social media call
What we know:
Police say a call went out on TikTok for people to meet up near U.S. Bank Stadium, leading to a crowd of 200 to 300 people on scooters and bikes riding through downtown Minneapolis.
The group included people of all ages, according to someone who participated. Their main goal was to ride around the city together. "This wonderful person just wanted to create something fun and spontaneous, so he put a flyer out on TikTok, and we all saw it. Thought it would be an interesting concept, and everyone just kind of showed up who saw the flyer on TikTok. It wasn't super well planned or or like thought out or anything. It just seemed like a cool thing to do, and I think pretty much everyone that showed up just decided to do it pretty spur the moment. It was just fun," said Majenta Bloom.
Police say the group’s actions became dangerous at times, especially when some riders entered I-35W. The woman who spoke with FOX 9 said she did not go on the interstate but described the event as spontaneous and fun.
Law enforcement response and safety concerns
What they're saying:
Minneapolis police said in a statement, "MPD monitored the group and its movements, which at times were reckless and disruptive to traffic. No arrests were made, and no citations were issued."
Minnesota State Patrol reported that witnesses saw 200 to 300 Lime scooters entering the highway, but state troopers did not make contact or take enforcement action with the group. State patrol emphasized, "Lime scooters and other non-motorized devices are prohibited from entering freeways, and doing so creates an extremely dangerous situation."
Police and state patrol are urging the city and scooter companies to develop a geo-fencing plan, similar to those in other cities, which would disable scooters and prevent dangerous situations like this from happening in the future.
These types of scooter takeovers have also happened in other cities, including Orlando and Houston.
The backstory:
Scooter takeovers are not unique to Minneapolis. Similar events have taken place in other parts of the country, drawing attention to the need for better safety measures and planning. Local authorities are now looking to other cities for solutions, such as geo-fencing, to help prevent future incidents.
Police say there were no arrests or citations issued during the Minneapolis event. They continue to encourage city leaders and scooter companies to find ways to stop scooters from entering highways.
What we don't know:
It is unclear if the city or scooter companies will move forward with geo-fencing or other measures to prevent similar events in the future. Authorities have not said if they will change their enforcement approach for future gatherings.