National Guard activated after downtown Minneapolis unrest

MINNEAPOLIS: The governor of Minnesota activated the National Guard on Wednesday night to help quell unrest that broke out in downtown Minneapolis following what authorities said was misinformation about the suicide death of a Black homicide suspect.

“We once again see the unrest on our streets. And not just Minnesota but as a nation, this pain continues on,” Gov. Tim Walz said at a late night news conference.

Walz declared a peacetime emergency in Minneapolis and said he was mobilizing the Minnesota National Guard but did not say how many troops were being deployed. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey imposed a curfew Wednesday night until 6 a.m. Thursday and

requested National Guard help after people broke windows and stole merchandise from downtown stores.

“Minneapolis, it’s time to heal. We must rebuild and recover. Dangerous, unlawful behavior will not be tolerated,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. Minneapolis was rocked by protests that turned violent after George Floyd, a handcuffed Black man, died after a white police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes on May 25.