photo credit: Jeff Bukowski // Shutterstock
Since Wednesday, the protest in Minneapolis, starting by the killing of George Floyd by a police officer Derek Chauvin, have grown and become more intense. Chauvin was fired, along with the 3 other officers involved, and now Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree manslaughter.
Protest have started up in Los Angeles, New York, Denver and more big cities.
“The investigation is ongoing,” Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said, adding that he anticipated charges against the other three officers involved in the incident.
Many images and videos have gone viral of buildings set ablaze and people in the streets, as state police in body armor and riot gear are lined up. Protestors set the 3rd Police Precinct in Minneapolis, closest to where Floyd was killed, on fire while chanting George Floyd’s name and “I can’t breathe.”
On Friday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz spoke out, “As we put a presence on the street to restore order, it is to open that space, to seek justice and heal what happened,” he said. “I will not in any way not acknowledge that there is going to be that pain, but my first and foremost responsibility to the state of Minnesota is the safety and security of all citizens. We cannot have the looting and recklessness that went on.”
Trump has threatened to send the National Guard to Minneapolis, saying “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
The National Guard has arrived on the scene. They are in Minneapolis and fully prepared. George Floyd will not have died in vain. Respect his memory!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
Written by Clarke Jones