As anger about the death of George Floyd prompted protesters to take to the streets, a Minneapolis police station was set on fire by angry demonstrators. A police spokesperson confirmed that the staff had vacated the 3rd precinct station when the incident occurred. In fact, a Livestream video from the protest showed people setting fire to a Minneapolis Police Department jacket while cheering. In addition, fire alarms were activated and sprinkles came on when the fire was ignited.
While Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had activated the National Guard at the mayor’s request, they were not seen during the protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Dozens of businesses in Twin Cities have shut down to prevent looting. Moreover, the Minneapolis Target has closed two dozen area stores. The light-rail system and bus services have also been suspended in Minneapolis due to safety concerns.
However, there were also a number of peaceful protesters in the streets that expressed their anger over the death of George Floyd.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter tweeted to request citizens to maintain peace.
“Please stay home. Please do not come here to protest. Please keep the focus on George Floyd, on advancing our movement and on preventing this from ever happening again” he tweeted.
The majority of violence occurred around the precinct station of the police officers who arrested George Floyd. A six-story building under construction also caught fire.
The fire department said that fire crews responded to 30 fires and fire trucks had to bear damage due to rocks and projectiles. However, no one was hurt during the incident.
The George Floyd incident has caused outrage around the country. There is anger within the community and many celebrities have also come out to condemn the heinous act.