Four business owners including the owner of Cup Foods near George Floyd Square at 38th and Chicago in south Minneapolis are suing the city of Minneapolis claiming the city's actions in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd in May 2020 resulted in a severe loss of income and crushed their property values.
The lawsuit filed in early November claims that barriers placed in the area by the city deterred business and that lack of policing allowed crime to run rampant.
Cup Foods, Menthol Tobacco, Southside Electronics, NMA Investments, and 3759 Chicago Ave. LLC claim they have lost $1.54 million due to the concrete barriers.
"The mayor, the city, the city council, and the Minneapolis Police Department collectively agreed to severely limit police response in the barricaded area surrounding plaintiffs’ businesses," the lawsuit states.
Minneapolis city leaders have touted their "significant financial investments" in the area that they say "support healing at 38th and Chicago and surrounding area."
Among the investments are $1.5 million in forgivable loans for businesses located within George Floyd Square.





