This isn't surprising. The Mayor and other elected officials seem to be more concerned about trying to make sure Minneapolis isn't a cold Omaha, instead of trying to make it a safe place to live.

Wanna put a dent in it? Get very, very tough on crime. Make sure offenders get the maximum penalties not the minimum. Hassle the heck out of gang members. Make it unpleasant to be a gangbanger. Quit being Politically Correct. Chicago is starting to do this now. What else we gonna do, just let crime fester? Just let the citizens get more and more ticked off. Oh, and another thing. Tell the ACLU to shove it.

Despite living in a western suburb, my family & I spend a great deal of time downtown. Can I please say it's just gotten plain old SHADY the past year? What gives? 4:00 p.m. on a Sunday aftn., 10:30 walking to your car after a Twins game, can't sit on a patio at a Nicollet Mall bar w/o being harrassed for money or listening to disgusting exchanges between bangers? Seriously. I can't comment on the 2 a.m. shenanigans, but like dear 'ol Dad used to say, "nothing good happens after midnight. Get your ass home." I'm more upset about the spontaneous, random violent and petty crimes that now have us meeting friends at the West End instead of Nicollet Mall establishments. This wave will clearly have a financial affect on the City. Wise up, officials.

How about have a few cops around 9th and Hennipin? There have been at least 5 or 6 robberies after bar near the Saloon, which has the worst security. I've seen drug deals, prostitution and assault happen in and around that place.

Don't hang out Downtown much, but why not let the bars be open all night. Everyone will leave at there own schedule versus at the peak of their party at 2 am. I know most concerned about bars being open all night like other cities won't be at the bar anyway. Could be a simple solution. Just my 2 cents.

@theeris, It's because gays at the Saloon are less of a priority with an understaffed department than say...tourists at the Hilton.

Sorry, the mayor decided it would be better to give a couple hundred million to an out of state billionaire for a football stadium instead of using it towards making the city a safer place.

Get Tough on crime...great idea but it is the county and state that do the prosecuting...so STOP BLAMING the city. A ton of the arrests are suburbanites...that should be dumped at the city border.

The environment around the new Peoples' Baseball Stadium isn't all that great? I wonder why. It will be OK now though since the city council approved a new Peoples' Football Stadium and we have been promised prosperous, safe, fun, and vibrant surrounding business and entertainment venues. Right RT? Right Colvin?

I live in Minneapolis, and I will say that this stuff needs to stop, or, downtown businesspeople, you goose is going to be cooked. Nowhere in downtowns that are vibrant does this go on; except in Minneapolis. You can walk around downtown Chicago and the Near North, and this is not happening. And the comment about good police staffing of Nicollet Mall-in your dreams it is. The question could be asked: Do people need to arm themselves when coming downtown, to protect themselves? That's what it will come to.