More than 70 people participate in 'No Kings' protest in Pine City

More than 70 people participated in a 'No Kings' protest on the bridge over I-35 near Exit 171 in Pine City on Saturday afternoon.

According to Pine City resident Mary Kay Brautigan, Indivisible Blue Brigade organizers tallied approximately 74 participants in the span of two hours.

The protest — one of many state- and nationwide held Saturday — went on as scheduled after the Minnesota State Patrol asked the public not to attend planned demonstrations "out of an abundance of caution" after the targeted shootings of two state lawmakers in the early hours of Saturday morning.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Vance Boelter, who is suspected of impersonating a police officer and shooting and killing House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband in Brooklyn Park, and shooting and wounding state senator John Hoffman and his wife at their Champlin residence.

"We nearly canceled out of respect for what's happening," Brautigan said. "We did meet beforehand in the parking lot, and it was up to everybody, whatever they felt they wanted to do. It was their decision, and everybody just stepped forward."

Brautigan explained that the Indivisible Blue Brigade is "firmly dedicated" to protecting democracy.

"We are not a party, we are not part of a party, although obviously we would probably lean more left," she said. "But we welcome Democrats, Republicans, Independents, it doesn't matter. We want to save democracy because it's a trainwreck."

Saturday's demonstration was not the group's first time protesting at the I-35 bridge, and won't be the last.

"We've been on the bridge a number of times, protesting" Brautigan explained, "We've had 'Hands Off,' we've had 'No Kings,' we'll be here again."

Brautigan said residents of east-central Minnesota wanting to get involved can find the organization on Facebook at Indivisible Blue Brigade.

"We do want everyone's involvement," she said.