Quiet Rally for Castile Verdict

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — About 150 people gathered in a Minneapolis park for a rally and downtown march in response to the acquittal of a police officer who shot and killed a black driver, a muted response compared to protests one night earlier.

One of the organizers, Samantha Pree-Stinson, a candidate for City Council, tells the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the group wouldn't be marching onto a freeway after its gathering Saturday night at Loring Park.

On Friday night, after the verdict was announced, there were 18 arrests of people police said ignored warnings to leave Interstate 94 in St. Paul.

Minnesota State Police spokeswoman Lt. Tiffani Nielson said in a news release Saturday that officers began arresting protesters at 12:30 a.m. after issuing three warnings for them to get off of Interstate 94 in St. Paul.

She says those arrested were booked at Ramsey County Jail on charges including being a pedestrian on the busy freeway.

Protesters rallied outside the state Capitol on Friday night after a jury acquitted St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez of manslaughter and other charges in the fatal shooting last summer of Philando Castile during a traffic stop.

The protesters eventually left the Capitol and began marching through the streets, with hundreds splintering off and blocking the freeway for about two hours.