Hermantown data center protesters force police chief to clear city hall
Protesters opposing Google’s proposed data center disrupted a Hermantown City Council meeting before officials could vote on permits and related agreements. Police Chief Jim Crace ordered people to leave City Hall, and the meeting was rescheduled for the following evening.
A Hermantown City Council meeting on Google’s proposed data center was halted after members of Stop the Hermantown Data Center chanted and gathered outside the chamber, saying they had been unable to sign up for public comment. The protest continued for nearly two hours, preventing the council from considering items that could approve or reject the project.
City Communications Director Joe Wicklund said the council would only adjourn, and Police Chief Jim Crace ordered everyone to leave within 10 minutes or face possible detention or arrest because of crowding and public-safety concerns. Supporters, including the Duluth Building and Construction Trades Council and the Hermantown Chamber of Commerce, defended the council’s process and said the project permit and agreements included conditions shaped by public input. The meeting was scheduled to resume the next evening.