How many business owners closed up to protest in Minneapolis?
Executive summary
News outlets reporting on the Jan. 23 “Day of Truth and Freedom” economic blackout in Minneapolis gave differing totals for how many businesses closed in solidarity: several mainstream outlets and organizers put the figure at roughly 700 or “over 700,” while at least one major national broadcast reported about 300 businesses; independent trackers and local coverage described “hundreds” without a single verified count [1] [2] [3] [4]. There is no single, independently audited ledger published in the reporting reviewed, so the most defensible answer is a range reflecting competing claims and reporting methods rather than a single precise number [5] [6].
1. Organizers’ and local media’s higher figure: “more than 700” closes claimed
Organizers and multiple Minnesota outlets reported that over 700 businesses committed to close for the protest; KARE11 and Fox9 both published organizers’ expectations or lists indicating “more than 700” or “over 700” businesses had pledged to shut their doors for the economic blackout [3] [4]. National and international outlets similarly repeated that tally: the Spokesman-Review and Al Jazeera described an estimated or reported total of about 700 businesses — including restaurants, shops, museums and entertainment venues — closing for the day of action [1] [7]. These higher numbers appear rooted in organizer tallies and local tracking efforts rather than a centralized governmental accounting [3] [4].
2. The lower, widely-circulated figure: roughly 300 businesses
At least one national outlet reported a markedly lower estimate — CBS News’ live coverage cited an estimate of about 300 businesses closed for the day — a figure repeated in some live-updates formats and summaries that described “hundreds” of closures without attaching the 700 number [2]. That discrepancy likely reflects differing methodologies: some reporters counted confirmations or neighborhood lists, while organizers compiled pledges and partner rosters that can include faith organizations, unions and small businesses across the metro area [2] [4].
3. Why the counts diverge: pledges, public posts, and partial closures
Disagreement in totals stems from how sources defined “closed” — pledged versus actually shuttered, full-day versus limited-hour closures, and inclusion of faith organizations, unions, and museums alongside small businesses — and whether reporters used organizer rosters, social-media posts, or sampled storefront windows [3] [8]. Some businesses announced closures on social media in advance while others cited employee safety or plunging customer traffic as reasons to shut temporarily, making real-time verification difficult; outlets noted that some owners felt pressured or could not afford to close, further complicating a clean tally [8] [9].
4. Context and potential biases in the tallies
Organizer lists naturally aim to demonstrate movement scale, so they may err on inclusion of pledged participants and sympathetic institutions, while mainstream outlets doing independent counts may report more conservative, verifiable numbers [3] [2]. Media outlets also varied in emphasis: local outlets highlighted community solidarity and named individual small businesses, national outlets emphasized the scale of protests and sometimes used rounded or cautious language like “hundreds” [6] [5]. Political and institutional actors — both critics who warned of economic harm and organizers seeking broad participation — had clear incentives to shape perceptions of how widespread the closures were [9] [7].
5. Bottom line and reporting limits
The available reporting supports saying that “hundreds” of Minneapolis-area businesses closed in solidarity, with organizer-compiled tallies and several local outlets putting the number at about 700+ and at least one national outlet reporting roughly 300; there is no single independent audit published in the reviewed sources to definitively adjudicate between those figures [1] [2] [3] [4]. Therefore the most accurate, evidence-rooted statement is a range: several hundred to more than 700 businesses closed in connection with the Jan. 23 action, depending on which count and criteria are used [1] [3] [2].