Violence, rioting, and looting heats up for a second day of chaos in Minneapolis over the death of a suspected fraudster during a brutal arrest, which went viral and led to the firing of four police officers.
This morning, the aftermath of yesterday’s anarchy became clear as commenters compared the twin city to a nuclear warhead going off.
The demonstrations, which quickly descended into looting, saw several franchises get ransacked as frenzied looters sought to grab as much as they could carry.
Buildings and vehicles were burned down, windows smashed, and even one fatality was reported as a suspected looter was shot by a pawn shop owner.
A disabled woman was beaten, robbed, doused in mace and sprayed with a fire extinguisher when she was accused of drawing a sharp object.
Target was hit particularly hard by the looting as the franchise was filmed as dozens of people vying to strip the store of its products.
Today, missiles were thrown outside a Target as police attempt to instill order as multiple protesters gathered outside the store.
The melee has started here. Things have been heating up here for a while pic.twitter.com/56MiO2ZfWZ
— Ricardo Lopez (@rljourno) May 28, 2020
Attendees began launching shopping carts at police cruisers as tensions flared.
Police cruisers being damaged as people here continue throwing shopping carts at vehicles pic.twitter.com/tpGgFCRHT6
— Ricardo Lopez (@rljourno) May 28, 2020
Ricardo Lopez, the on-the-ground journalist, in another tweet, reported: “Just overheard an officer point out someone with a hammer. I am really afraid people will get hurt today. This has that ugly and chaotic energy.”
Police have been showing restraint in the face of very antagonistic behavior from the crowd. pic.twitter.com/c2uZjnxKHJ
— Ricardo Lopez (@rljourno) May 28, 2020
Police appear to be the last line of defense between the incensed protesters and the Target store. Yesterday, images of men wielding rifles defending a local tobacconist reportedly deterred would-be looters as they steadfastly protected the small business.
Lopez tweeted: “These police cars continue getting damaged. It’s the only barrier between police and this very angry crowd.”
Police have been showing restraint in the face of very antagonistic behavior from the crowd. pic.twitter.com/c2uZjnxKHJ
— Ricardo Lopez (@rljourno) May 28, 2020
Social media was polarized by the news as parts of the city, including a low income housing project, were utterly destroyed by the carnage. Some backed the rioters, while others reserved choice words for their actions.
