Minneapolis police officers admitted to slashing the tires of parked vehicles during recent protests, according to two of the city’s law enforcement agencies.
Department of Public Safety spokesman Bruce Gordon verified Monday that state troopers and officers from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office slashed the tires of several vehicles in two locations in the city during protests on May 30. Gordon said the action was taken to prevent the vehicles from becoming “dangerous weapons” to use against the protesters that evening.
“State Patrol troopers strategically deflated tires … in order to stop behaviors such as vehicles driving dangerously and at high speeds in and around protesters and law enforcement,” he said. “While not a typical tactic, vehicles were being used as dangerous weapons and inhibited our ability to clear areas and keep areas safe where violent protests were occurring.”
Gordon said that authorities singled out cars “that contained items used to cause harm during violent protests,” including rocks, sticks, and other potential projectiles.
Andrew Kimmel, a reporter, had all four tires of his rental car slashed during the protests alongside an entire row of vehicles that were similarly targeted. Videos of officers slashing the tires were captured by Mother Jones.
Anoka County Sheriff’s Lt. Andy Knotz confirmed that officers were ordered to slash the tires of vehicles in the area. He said the order was made by the state-led Multiagency Command Center, not the sheriff’s office, and that it was not possible to tow the vehicles from the area because of the protests.
The decision to slash the tires on May 30 came after several days of violent protests in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd. Protesters had been demonstrating in the city against police brutality and racial injustice, but some of the protests erupted into violence that included looting, vandalism, and arson.
On May 31, a semitruck narrowly missed a crowd of protesters who had gathered on the interstate. The driver claimed that the situation was an accident, but authorities are still investigating the situation. No one was severely injured during the incident.
