The Minnesota National Guard on Friday says that it has activated more than 500 soldiers amid widespread riots in the city of Minneapolis over the death of an African-American male in police custody
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2020) The Minnesota National Guard on Friday says that it has activated more than 500 soldiers amid widespread riots in the city of Minneapolis over the death of an African-American male in police custody.
"We have activated more than 500 soldiers to St. Paul, Minneapolis and surrounding communities. Our mission is to protect life, preserve property and the right to peacefully demonstrate. A key objective is to ensure fire departments are able to respond to calls," the state branch of the National Guard wrote on Twitter.
In the early hours of Friday morning, US President Donald Trump warned that he would deploy soldiers to the region if the local authorities fail to bring ongoing riots against the death of an African-American male in police custody under control.
"I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right," Trump wrote on Twitter in the early hours of Friday.
The president added that rioters were dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, the African-American male whose death in police custody has sparked violent riots in the city.
A video shared widely on Tuesday appeared to show police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of Floyd, who was handcuffed, lying on his stomach and not resisting, while the latter said that he could not breathe.
On Thursday evening, rioters stormed a police precinct in Minneapolis, setting it ablaze. According to domestic media reports, law enforcement officers were evacuated from the building by helicopter.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Attorney's Office, and local prosecutors are currently investigating the fatal incident. Chauvin and three other officers who were involved in the arrest have been fired by the Minneapolis Police Department.
On Thursday evening, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman told reporters that the four officers are not cooperating with investigators.
