Downtown Minneapolis cleans up after night of looting; Guard arrives; curfew set

[question everything]

Residents and workers in downtown Minneapolis grappled with shattered peace, broken glass, looted shops and personal trepidation Thursday morning after a suicide of a homicide suspect on Nicollet Mall ignited waves of rioting.

The destruction recalled the damage done in the wake of George Floyd’s death in police custody three months ago but lacked the moral outrage as the suspect, Eddie Frank Sole Jr., 38, died by his own hand.

A city-imposed curfew limited the damage done by looters and rioters and was lifted at 6 a.m. National Guard personnel maintained positions downtown, while Metro Transit service resumed in the immediate area after being halted or diverted for many hours. Mayor Jacob Frey has announced a Thursday night curfew as well.

Fire officials are investigating the apparent torching of four retail outlets overnight that expanded the destruction well beyond the city’s core. One was downtown at Brit’s Pub at 1110 Nicollet Mall. Others miles away broke out at Tires Plus at 1103 W. Lake St., China Wok at S. 2800 27th Ave., and Walgreens at 4323 S. Chicago Ave.

https://www.startribune.com/downtown-mpls-cleans-up-after-night-of-looting-guard-arrives/572236922/

They would have been better off installing security shutters to protect their windows

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10599126

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Sure sounds like

the Provocateurs were back in town. Little Umbrella Dudes with bottles of gasoline.

[Eric J in MN]

2. Curfews should be banned.

People will go out regardless of whether a curfew is declared. 99% of them not doing anything bad.

Declaring a curfew criminalizes everyone outdoors and distracts the police from true criminals.

[dflprincess]

5. I have no problem with the current curfew

No one has any reason to be downtown tonight unless they're looking for trouble.

[progree]

6. Some people worry about workers who have night jobs downtown etc., but they allow

for people who are going to and from work, or have some other legitimate reason for being where they are (and hopefully being black doesn't mean getting treated differently but that's probably too much to hope for).

I just checked, its 8 pm to 6 am. People will just have to get done with their evening outs before that.

[dflprincess]

7. My niece works at Abbot Northwestern and works until 11ish on weekends.

She did not have any trouble leaving during the curfews in May though she had to take a different & longer route to get out of the area and she stayed on the phone (hands free) with me the first couple nights as it was awfully scary (and she is white so that probably explains why she wasn't stopped.).

[progree]

8. 28th & Chicago? Wow that was just about right in the thick of it in May /nt

[dflprincess]

9. It was

She works in the ER (she's a phlebotomist) and they had a lot of people coming in with injuries from glass and tear gas. This on top of Abbott/NW getting a lot of the covid cases.

[geardaddy]

3. I just spotted several MN National Guard vehicles in Uptown Minneapolis

and armed guardsmembers.

[question everything]

4. Yes, I think that Walz called on them

This is what I wonder: the riots started in Minneapolis. Democrat Frey wanted (sooner) and Democrat Walz sent the National Guard, had a curfew for a couple of days and the most violent acts stopped.

So I cannot understand why the Democratic mayors of Chicago, Portland and Seattle do not ask the same of the Democratic governors of Illinois, Oregon and Washington to do the same.

And one has to wonder about outside agitators.