It's going to be a hot and humid 4th of July this year with plenty of people out and about over a holiday weekend which includes big celebrations and the return of the Taste of Minnesota in downtown Minneapolis.
Hopefully that will not spell trouble for Minneapolis Police again this year. Already, Minneapolis Police are working to make sure what happened during the last couple of 4th of July holidays doesn't happen again, with teenagers launching fireworks at officers near Dinkytown and in downtown Minneapolis, or violence in places like Boom Island Park.
"So, we'll be staffed up all through the weekend, but the biggest thing I am concerned about is what has happened here since 2020 with really late at night on the 4th, overnight into the 5th with kind of these mobs popping up," says Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara.
He says they are taking proactive measures to maintain order and several streets and parking lots will be closed.
"Even not being a part of shooting off fireworks, you're gonna stand there around and watch and essentially encourage this dangerous situation, we're gonna lock you up too," O'Hara warns.
He says they arrested more than 50 people last year and are prepared to do so again this year if they need to.
But O'Hara still says, have fun - but be careful especially with the fireworks.
"I asked people to not participate in that, it's extremely dangerous," says O'Hara. "We had one person that was involved in it that was very, very seriously injured and will be for the rest of his life last year because he wound up shooting a mortar into his abdomen."