Gov. Tim Walz and other leaders on Saturday begged protesters angry over George Floyd’s killing to stay home so police and the National Guard could reclaim the streets and root out what authorities describe as an active criminal element bent only on destruction.
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Gov. Walz said earlier that outsiders had hijacked what had started as peaceful protests over the killing of George Floyd.
- Live coverage Civil unrest spreads following the killing of George Floyd
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This action that has never been taken in the 164-year history of the Minnesota National Guard “Let's be very clear: The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities,” Governor Walz told reporters this morning.
George Floyd died Monday night in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck. The Current took a moment of silence on Friday in recognition of this loss of life and of the collective pain in the community and nation.
After the silence on ain, The Current broadcast a portion of Dr. Martin Luther King's 1967 speech, "The Other America," given by Dr. King that year at Stanford University as well as at the University of Minnesota. Listen to the excerpt online.
In stunning terms typically heard in war zones, not the Twin Cities, Gov. Tim Walz vowed to hold ground, restore order and take back the streets of Minneapolis from what his public safety chief described as an “armed … entrenched group of rioters.”
During a 1:30 a.m. briefing Saturday, Walz conceded his administration had underestimated the size of the crowds they expected to face in Friday’s protests — as well as their level of aggression and tactics. Police were fired on.
Walz said he would call up another 1,000 Minnesota National Guard soldiers in response, putting more than 1,500 Guard members on the streets — the largest civilian deployment in Minnesota history.
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The orders come as city leaders hope to stop a repeat of the past few days where peaceful protests over the killing of George Floyd dissolved into mayhem and looting after sunset. St. Paul’s asked for 400 State Patrol and National Guard members to help patrol Friday night.
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Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in George Floyd’s death, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said, adding that he anticipated charges for the other three officers who were fired in the incident.
- Overnight Mpls. police precinct overrun in night of fury, fire
- Live blog Follow ongoing, up-to-the-minute coverage
Crowds took to the streets again Thursday night in Minneapolis and St. Paul, demanding the four officers involved in the deadly incident be arrested and prosecuted. Earlier that day, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman asked for patience as authorities gather evidence.
- Overnight Mpls. police precinct overrun in night of fury, fire
- Live blog Follow ongoing, up-to-the-minute coverage
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Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday called up the National Guard and declared a peacetime emergency amid the unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody. Separately, federal officials vowed to move quickly on their civil rights probe.
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- Looted and smoldering ‘Lake Street, the great street’ braces for more
A man was shot to death as protests over the death of George Floyd dissolved into looting Wednesday night in south Minneapolis, with streams of people pulling goods from local businesses. Fires, some of which are still burning, engulfed the Lake Street area in smoke.
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