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“To anyone that thinks the protests are ‘extreme’ or ‘not the answer’, this is America getting off LIGHT. The country deserves far worse considering all the lives destroyed and stolen in the past decade, let alone the past 400 years. Wake Up” — Jade Harris, Democrat Senate candidate in a Facebook post during the riots in 2020 that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
George Floyd had a long record of drug addiction and crime, including a five-year prison sentence in Texas for the home invasion and robbery of an elderly lady at gun point. He served four years of the sentence and was pardoned.
After release, he moved to Minneapolis where he worked on and off as a truck driver and bouncer at a local bar.
In May 2020, Minneapolis police responded to a call about a large, strange acting man who had tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill. When they arrived, Floyd was still at the scene and during the arrest Floyd was forced to the g round. O fficer D erek Chauvin placed his knee on the back and neck and two other officers assisted in holding him down as a fourth officer attempted to keep bystanders back. An ambulance was called and during the next 9 minutes and 29 seconds, Chauvin remained with his knee on the back of Floyd.
Floyd said he could not breathe and people began to call for the officer to let Floyd up. Floyd died at the scene. An autopsy found Floyd had died of cardiopulmonary arrest, and fentanyl and methamphetamines were found in his body and may have contributed to his behavior and death.
Video of the incident was played repeatedly on television news. Protests occurred across the country and 95 percent of the protests were peaceful but 5 percent were not, including in Minneapolis.
Retired fireman Korbo “KB” Balla had put his life savings and pension into his dream of owning a sports bar he named Scores. He had hoped to have his grand opening in March but Covid delayed that plan.
After a day of peaceful demonstrations, the night turned violent. When the rioters reached his business, Balla told the crowd he was Black and the owner of the bar. The mob didn’t care and looted the business. After taking or smashing everything inside, Balla begged the mob to move on but instead the building was torched. The mob kept Balla’s former firemen friends from being able to fight the fire, assaulting the firemen and damaged the firetruck and hoses.
For several nights, the violence continued and 164 buildings, including government facilities, big and small business, nonprofit agencies, homes and apartment complexes along with several manufacturing plants that had been attracted to the minority neighborhoods to provide jobs, were destroyed. Damage was over $2 billion. One individual suffered smoke inhalation and burned to death fighting an arson fire in his minority-owned business.
The hardest hit areas were minority neighborhoods. Today, many areas have still not recovered. Crime in the Twin Cities area has skyrocketed in part due to the riots but also the “defund police” movement that has resulted in a sharp decline in police personnel.
The riots in other locations across the country resulted in at least 19 deaths and millions of dollars in damages.
Even Washington, D.C., was a target of violent protests. Rioters attempted to storm the White House and the situation got so dangerous, the First Family were moved to a secure bunker under the White House. Over 60 Secret Service officers were injured along with a large number of other law enforcement officers. (Far more officers were injured in this riot or “insurrection” against the executive branch than the Jan. 6 riot or “insurrection” against the legislative branch.) Only 19 would be charged for assaults, arson and other crimes and most of these charges were dismissed by a D.C. judge.
Numerous buildings were burned or damaged in the riots around the city including fire damage to the historic St. John’s Church, built in 1858 across from the White House.
Officer Derek Chauvin would be found guilty of murder and manslaughter and sentenced to over 20 years in prison. The other involved police officers in the Floyd case also received long prison sentences.
Riots across the country left people dead and families to mourn; others injured, some permanently; savings and dreams of others destroyed, especially in minority neighborhoods. Sorry Ms. Harris, but they and America did not “deserve” this.
UPDATE The Minnesota Democratic Party Vice Chair Shivanthi Sathanandan, who had demanded defunding the police, reduced punishment for criminals, and early release of criminals, was attacked by four individuals attempting to carjack her vehicle in her driveway recently. She suffered a broken leg, knife wounds, cuts and bruises to her head and body. Neighbors who came out to help her were robbed at gun point.
She said she was impressed by the response of the police and the care she received from them and now wants to begin a drive to “take back the city” from the large criminal element in the city!
