Minneapolis orders curfew starting at 8pm tonight after three days of violent riots over George Floyd’s death
MINNEAPOLIS has issued a curfew beginning at 8pm tonight in response to the riots that have rocked the city following the death of George Floyd.
Protesters have swarmed the streets in the past few days to demand justice for Floyd, who died after a cop knelt on his neck while he was being arrested.
The police officer, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter.
In the days after his death, thousands began protesting and the city was set alight as calls for Chauvin and his fellow officers’s arrests grew louder.
Despite Mayor Jacob Frey pleading for peace, the riots continued, prompting Frey to issue a curfew on Friday.
Frey issued the emergency order citing damage caused by the riots, which included widespread looting and buildings being set ablaze.
The president’s tweet had been flagged by Twitter for “glorifying violence”, and echoed language used by the Miami police chief accused of “setting up the first fascist state” in the 1960s.
Tensions reached a peak as rioters stormed a Minneapolis police precinct and set it on fire.
The Minneapolis Police Department abandoned the Third Precinct Thursday night after rioters gained access to the building.
Earlier on Friday, Trump defended a controversial tweet on the Minneapolis protests where he said “when the looting starts, the shooting starts”, insisting his statement is “fact”.
Appearing to backtrack on his comments, Trump clarified his meaning, tweeting: “Looting leads to shooting, and that’s why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night – or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don’t want this to happen, and that’s what the expression put out last night means….
“….It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. It’s very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!”
Trump had posted a series of tweets explaining he would bring in the National Guard and “get the job done right” if “Radical Left” Mayor Jacob Frey did not get things under control in Minneapolis.
“These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen,” tweeted Trump.
Trump made the threat after protesters torched a police station and destroyed other property, capping several days of violence linked to the death of George Floyd.
The police officer filmed kneeling on George Floyd’s neck while he was in handcuffs has now been charged with third-degree murder.
Derek Chauvin was also charged with manslaughter following his arrest on Friday.
Chauvin was a 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department.
The arrest was carried out after Floyd allegedly tried to use forged documents at a local deli.
An ambulance was called and Floyd was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center where he later died.
The incident report described Floyd as an “unresponsive, pulseless male,” and explained that despite medics performing numerous checks on several occasions, they did not find a pulse.
Meanwhile, Floyd’s brother has called for the police officers who “killed” him to get the death penalty in an emotional interview just three days after his death.
Philonise Floyd told CNN Thursday that the the four cops involved in the incident “executed my brother in broad daylight.”
A new video appears to “show multiple cops pinning George Floyd down” as he begged for air during his arrest.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was forced to call in the National Guard on Thursday as looting and violence escalated in the wake of Floyd’s death.
The National Guard started patrolling the wrecked streets of Minneapolis after a night of shocking riots following Floyd’s death.
The soldiers arrived at the scene on Friday morning, after President Donald Trump threatened to deploy them.
“Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way,” Trump in one of his tweets.
“Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!”
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