Winona, MN: Vets VS Pokemon Go Players Near Memorial Park

One of my cousins wrote last night about a video that was posted online. (Two of them actually: here and here.) The videos were filmed in Winona, MN, and show two veterans yelling and cussing as a group of teens for playing Pokemon Go at Veterans Memorial Park. It appears that Veterans Memorial Park is located within a larger public park.

Here's the first part of that video the other day that nobody has seen. It shows them coming over, my pregnant gf is the only one under the canopy which was there for rain that day and she doesn't even play, then he immediately loses his shit. Tearing it down was premeditated before he even came over as he stated in the longer video. I would not have reacted the way I did if he was rational about it and not verbally and physically attacking my gf. Please share this so people can see how it started. Sorry for the drama but this guy was an ass. Many other vets have came down and were civil about everything. These people drove by multiple times yesterday verbally harassing us while there were parents there bonding with their kids, many younger than 10. That kind of behavior is completely disrespectful. Many random people driving by and yelling obscenities as well. There was an older couple walking around reading names on bricks as some lady in a blue crew cab Ford with matching topper drove through calling us worthless pieces of shit then continued to drive off. All of these people are 100% disrespectful and inconsiderate.

Both videos show this incident from different perspectives. Basically, the teens were playing Pokemon Go at the memorial park. One player's girlfriend was not playing, but hanging out at the park. She is pregnant and was sitting under a canopy for protection from the rain. The vets were screaming, swearing, and pushing the teens. The one veteran torn down the canopy and destroyed it before the cops arrived. The veterans were so out of control that they couldn't even calm down after the police started interviewing witnesses. It appears that one of the vets was eventually charged with disorderly conduct.


It appears that the Winona City Council is now considering a new ordinance that would ban all sorts of activities at Veterans Memorial Park, including recreational activities and games (electronic or not), sunbathing, having pets in the area, and playing music. Hammocks and tents would be barred from the park. Picketing would be barred from the park. Demonstrating would be barred at the park. It would be illegal to make speeches or display flags or placards at the park.

In fact, only specific military memorial ceremonies would be allowed at Veterans Memorial Park or other ceremonies explicitly approved by the City Council.

You could be convicted of a misdemeanor if you violate the strict restrictions, if this new ordinance gets passed.