Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) on Saturday announced that he will fully mobilize the state’s National Guard amid continued violent unrest in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd.
“Minnesota @GovTimWalz has announced the full mobilization of the @MNNationalGuard for the first time since World War II. We are “all-in” to restore order and maintain and keep the peace in Minnesota,” the state’s national guard wrote on Twitter.
Minnesota @GovTimWalz has announced the full mobilization of the @MNNationalGuard for the first time since World War II. We are “all-in” to restore order and maintain and keep the peace in Minnesota.
— MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) May 30, 2020
“More than 1,000 additional Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are activating today,” the national guard wrote in a separate tweet. “This is in addition to the 700 that were on duty as of late last night.”
“This represents the largest domestic deployment in the Minnesota’s National Guard’s 164-year history,” it added.
More than 1,000 additional Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are activating today. This is in addition to the 700 that were on duty as of late last night. This represents the largest domestic deployment in the Minnesota’s National Guard’s 164-year history. pic.twitter.com/aV9NOFv5uo
— MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) May 30, 2020
In a statement, Walz said the unrest in Minneapolis “is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd.”
“Our great cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are under assault,” he added. “The situation in Minneapolis is now about attacking civil society, instilling fear, and disrupting our great city.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) echoed Walz’s remarks, and said a majority of protesters do not live in Minneapolis.
“This is no longer about protesting,” he stated. “This is about violence and we need to make sure that it stops.”
Walz called on protesters to disperse early Saturday morning after a non-violent demonstration there turned to riots, looting and vandalization.
“The absolute chaos — this is not grieving, and this is not making a statement [about an injustice] that we fully acknowledge needs to be fixed — this is dangerous,” he said. “You need to go home.”
Walz said he spoke with Floyd’s family, who said the violence that had overtaken the city was counterproductive to the message activists were trying to send about the 46-year-old’s death.
Floyd died Monday after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck during an arrest for nearly 9 minutes. There have been daily protests since the incident — which was recorded on video — calling for the officer and three others present during the arrest to face charges.
Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder and bail was set at $500,000. All four officers, including Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, were fired from the MPD.
The UPI contributed to this report.
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