Protesters again keep Hermantown council from Google data center vote: "Shut it down"
Protesters disrupted a Hermantown City Council meeting, preventing a vote that could advance Google's proposed data center. The meeting was canceled again the following day, delaying the project amid continuing local opposition.
Protesters chanting "shut it down" prevented the Hermantown City Council from voting on measures that would clear the way for Google's proposed data center. Police declared an unlawful assembly and asked demonstrators to leave after roughly two hours, but the council did not vote.
The council canceled a rescheduled meeting Tuesday to avoid disrupting early voting at City Hall, and officials have not announced a new date. The project is part of a broader wave of data center proposals facing opposition across Minnesota, where lawmakers are considering new regulations and environmental groups have pursued lawsuits against several projects.