Officer charged and National Guard sent in.
As rioting has taken place in Minneapolis, leaders from across the nation, including mayors, governors, lieutenant governors, police chiefs, legislators, attorneys general, National Guard leaders, the Department of Justice and President Trump, have spoken out about the unrest in Minneapolis, calling out the wrongs committed and hope for solutions.
On Monday, George Floyd was apprehended by four police officers for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 at a market. Though Floyd had not resisted arrest, one of the officers held Floyd down with a knee to his neck. Floyd repeatedly said that he could not breathe and bystanders shouted to the officer that Floyd was dying. He fell unconscious and paramedics took him, unresponsive, to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
On Wednesday, President Trump asked the Justice Department and FBI to expedite their investigation into the death of Mr. Floyd. The president called Floyd’s death “very sad and tragic.”
Though all four police officers involved were fired, protesters gathered for three straight nights and riots and fires ensued. The 3rd Police Precinct was stormed and fire was set to that building and others in the neighborhood.
Protests, some peaceful demonstrations, and others expressing their outrage with violent actions, have occurred across the country.
The mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey, said that life is more important than brick and mortar and that they are doing all they can to keep peace. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recognized the anguish caused by racism in policing and how voices from the black community ”went unheard, and now generations of pain is manifesting itself in front of the world.”
The governor called for an end to the violence, noting the difficulty in requiring the same institution that sparked the unrest—the police—to restore order. But he said the underlying issues involved in George Floyd’s death could not be addressed until the literal fires are extinguished. He said he expected “swift” justice for the police officers involved.
President Trump tweeted on Thursday that the demonstrators were dishonoring the memory of George Floyd and that the National Guard would be sent in if local officials could not bring the situation under control.
On Friday morning, another tweet from the president read, “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!!”
Officer Derek Chauvin has been taken unto custody and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the family of George Floyd in their time of grief, pain and distress.
- For federal, state, and local officials as they deal with the demonstrations in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
- That racism would be eradicated from police departments across the nation.
- That protesters and demonstrators would find more constructive and peaceful ways to express themselves.
- For grace to be extended to minority groups and communities that have been targets of racism.
Sources: Washington Post, The Hill, NPR, CBS News, Reuters
