Red Bull street team hits Minneapolis high schools, probably won’t be back
Poor Red Bull can’t catch a break in Minneapolis.
Last summer the energy-drink maker upset some commuting bicyclists and other Minneapolis residents with their giant cube photo exhibit on the Stone Arch Bridge. Some people had a hard time navigating the bridge, others objected to the blatant advertising on public property.
And now this: According to Minneapolis Roosevelt High Principal Bruce Gilman, on October 1, three Red Bull cars (”with the cans on top”) parked on 40th Avenue across from the school while the busses were dropping off students.
The mission? Free Red Bull to anyone willing to cross the street to get it.
The Red Bull employees, members of the elite, seemingly no-boys-allowed Wiiings Team (yes, Wiiings) had already been asked to leave the same area the previous week.
Why wouldn’t the school accept Red Bull’s generousity? For one thing, Gilman said, the Wiiings Team car fleet was blocking traffic, including a school bus. Students were crossing the street and standing in traffic to get free Red Bull samples. And because no Minneapolis school sells or allows students to have beverages other than water or fruit juice on campus, Red Bull isn’t even allowed inside the school.
Gilman approached the team members and asked them to move along. They refused.
“I have never seen such obnoxious behavior,” Gilman said.
Gilman spoke with Roosevelt’s on-duty police officer, Mark Klukow, about getting the vehicles out of the way of traffic. Officer Klukow’s knowledge of Minnesota statutes — beyond the usual traffic laws – provided the perfect solution.
Officer Kluckow said it’s illegal to hand anything out to kids near school property as they are getting on or off a bus.
By this time classes were in session at Roosevelt and the the Red Bull contingent had moved on to their next captive audience at Minneapolis South High. Officer Klukow caught up with them there.
Citations were issued all around.
Gilman called this a happy ending.
And that’s no bull.
Photo courtesy yoppi