Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, called for the restoration of order but said he’s heard the concerns of protesters about police brutality.
During a Friday press conference, Walz asserted that the looting, arson, and other crimes committed in his state must end after three consecutive days of chaotic protesting following the death of George Floyd in police custody.
“My first and foremost responsibility to the state of Minnesota is the safety and security of all citizens. We cannot have the looting and the recklessness that went on. We cannot have it because we can’t function as a society. And I refuse to have it take away the attention of the stain that we need to be working on is what happened with those fundamental, institutional racism that allows a man to be held down in broad daylight,” Walz said.
Walz said law enforcement will be present in the streets of the Twin Cities area to open up roads, maintain peace, and “heal what happened” and that a swift investigation into the officers who were involved in the events that led to Floyd’s death will be conducted.
The governor also apologized to the press for the arrest of CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew, saying his future actions to prevent rioting will create a safe place for journalists to report on the situation. “The idea that a reporter would have been taken while another police action was in play is inexcusable,” he said.
Walz said CNN CEO Jeff Zucker called him in frustration about Jimenez, who was arrested while he reported on the protests. Walz took responsibility for the conduct of law enforcement. “That falls squarely on me. That apology has been issued, and I think going forward to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also spoke at the press conference, beginning his remarks with a quote from civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.
“Martin Luther King said, many years ago, that [rioting] is the way that the unheard get heard. He didn’t condone it, but he said to the nation, as a person who always protested peacefully: … ‘Don’t just dismiss that and ignore and relegate it to just criminality and bad behavior. Ask yourself: What’s going on there?'” Ellison said.
Ellison also echoed sentiments from Walz that he hopes for a swift process to ensure the officers involved in Floyd’s death will be held accountable for their actions. “The wheels of justice must turn fairly, not unjustly, expeditiously, thoroughly, fairly, but swiftly. It is important that people have confidence that accountability, no matter who you may be, is how we live in Minnesota,” Ellison said, later noting that the message from protesters and rioters has been “sent and received.”
Protests in the city of Minneapolis began Tuesday after footage showed a police officer kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, for approximately eight minutes until he became unresponsive. Floyd was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Multiple buildings were set on fire late Thursday night as protests erupted into violence. Hundreds if not thousands of protesters swarmed the city’s 3rd Precinct, setting the building on fire. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed a room of anxious reporters following the events in an early Friday morning press conference.
“The symbolism of a building cannot outweigh the importance of life, of our officers, or the public,” Frey said. “We could not risk serious injury to anyone, and we will continue to patrol the 3rd Precinct entirely. We will continue to do our jobs in that area, and you know, brick and mortar is not as important as life.”
