Man In Minnesota Stages Month-Long Protest On Billboard

A Minnesota man has moved to the top of a billboard along a Minnesota interstate as an act of protest. The man, who films daily from atop the billboard in South St. Paul, has been on top of the billboard for the last month and doesn't seem to have any plans on coming down.

I first learned of this man on top of a Twin Cities billboard this morning, when the South St. Paul Police Department posted about an incident involving a manikin hanging from the billboard this morning.

Morning South St. Paul,

As some of you may know, there has been an individual perched upon a billboard near I-494 and Concord Street for a number of days with a homemade sign visible from the highway. Earlier this morning, the man hung a mannequin from the same billboard, seemingly in an effort to alarm anyone who may see it and to provoke a reaction from our emergency responders. His actions this morning are not demonstrative of peaceful protest he claims to be engaging in, are offensive, and are simply not acceptable. Still, we are committed to a peaceful resolution. We remain consistent in our communication to him that we are not empowered to address his concerns and that those who are, remain willing to engage with him when he comes down.

We stand ready to support the man when he is ready to come down, including having any needed services in place. While it is heartbreaking to see someone who is suffering, the sanctity of life remains our priority. We have seen no signs that the man is harming himself or others. Please know we are working alongside of our partners in both public safety, as well as Dakota County Adult Services to bring this challenging situation to a safe outcome for all.

At this time, we are asking the public to refrain from calling 911 to report their observations of the billboard as it is imperative to keep those 911 lines open for emergencies in our community.

The man is atop the billboard in protest. What he is protesting, you can learn about yourself from his YouTube channel. It wouldn't be prudent to share the reason behind the protest, as there is currently ongoing litigation surrounding some very public accusations that have been made.

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With winter weather on the way, I don't think Matt will stick it out too much longer, but until he comes down, it seems like you can catch an update by following his YouTube channel.

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Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz