The weird thing is, I was there an hour before things got started nearly a year ago. I had arranged to buy an HP slim profile laptop on CraigsList and that was the meetup spot.
I had no expectation that anything would happen, really, besides a normal peaceful protest, and almost decided to step into Aldi's for a quick grocery pickup. But after buying the laptop, I felt a sudden urgency to get out of there. I've never felt such a compelling need to leave a place so hard and fast as then, and it wasn't because there were any people hanging out, the lot was empty except for some cars ringing the shops and Lake Street really isn't all that awful - the area around Hiawatha is pretty normal, really, from my own experiences there. I've hung around worst places.
I was a bit scared, sure, but fear wasn't the compelling force. Just a need to leave. I still don't know why.