George Floyd case: Protests erupt across the country after Minnesota man's death
Alex Hogan reports from New York.
An army of volunteers has taken to the streets of Minneapolis on Saturday to help clean up after another night of violent riots following the death of George Floyd.
Floyd, a black man, died in police custody after Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder.
Protestors gathered in Minneapolis for the third night to demand justice for Floyd’s death. Police and protestors again clashed on Friday night, turning peaceful protests into a violent riot that caused damage to local businesses across the city.
Workers move a cart of planks to use in the repair of windows destroyed after a protest outside the State Capitol over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man in police custody in Minneapolis, turned into a melee between protesters and the police Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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However, hundreds of volunteers turned out by the hundreds on Saturday morning to help clear up the damage caused by the riots.
One woman from the suburbs said she saw information on social media calling for volunteers, and she was told to “bring a broom.”
Fox News reporter Matt Finn was on the scene to witness the incredible act.
“An ARMY of volunteers in Minneapolis helping neighbors clean up business damage,” Finn tweeted alongside footage of the volunteers. “What a sight.”
A few local business owners told Fox News how grateful they were to have the help. The owner of Hibachi Grill said her restaurant was looted, while the owner of a hair salon said her store was broken into and suffered water damage.
The clean-up was focused in the area around the police department's 5th Precinct, where many officers in the now-burned down 3rd Precinct had retreated to following an assault on their building on Thursday. Friday night’s riots focused on the 5th Precinct but failed to breach it.
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Pratt Volunteers clean up in Minneapolis, Saturday, May 30, 2020, following a night of unrest and protests in the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (Khadejeh Nikouyeh/News & Record via AP)
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the riots, saying that they no longer have anything to do with George Floyd’s death.
"This is no longer about protesting," Frey said. "This is about violence and we need to make sure that it stops."
Both leaders have implied that organized outsiders, including but not limited to anarchists, white supremacists, and gangs from other states, were behind the destruction and chaos in Minneapolis.
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“The sheer number of rioters has made it impossible to make coherent arrests... The capacity to be able to do offensive action was greatly diminished” by the sheer scope and seemingly organized nature of the assaults," Walz said.
“The terrifying thing is that this resembles more a military operation now as you observe ringleaders moving from place to place,” he added.
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Walz authorized the full mobilization of the state’s National Guard ahead of further protests on Saturday, hoping to avoid another riot and the need for more volunteers to help clean up.
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