Sep 17, 2005 1:55 pm US/Central
Minneapolis Man Cited For Dancing In The Streets
by Rick Fuentes
Minneapolis (WCCO) ―
Talk about six degrees of Kevin Bacon. Remember the 1984 film "Footloose" where Bacon's character moves to a small town where dancing is outlawed?
Think that was just a movie? Think again.
A week ago, police ticketed a Minneapolis man for dancing in downtown streets.
According to Minneapolis Ordinance 427.240, "No person shall dance or engage or participate in any dancing upon any public street or highway in the City; and no person shall provide for, promote or conduct any dance or dancing upon any public street or highway in the City, except at a block party."
That upsets some people:
"It's a fundamental right to be able to go where you want," one man said. "The streets are public space."
"This poor guy was robbed," another man said. "You should be able to dance in the street."
"That's sad," a woman said. "You can't even enjoy yourself."
Minneapolis Police do have a problem downtown, especially around Block E, and First Precinct supervisors are telling their officers to creatively enforce the law if necessary.
Police said the problem is calls for service they still get after the bars close.
And bar-goers should know they can be cited for loitering, littering...or even dancing.
The ordinance is real and it's been on the books since 1960 and you can be cited for it.
Minneapolis Police said the man who was cited for dancing was reportedly handing out free tickets to topless bars.
That wasn't illegal, but his alleged dancing was.
(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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