Minneapolis Review

After Gov. Tim Walz ordered mobilization of the state's National Guard, he urged Minnesota residents to stay home on the night of May 29 to stay safe from the outside agitators looting the Twin Cities, Star Tribune reported. 

In a news conference, Walz encouraged residents to stay safe as first responders dealt with in-state and out-of-state agitators looting Minneapolis and St. Paul and setting fire to the cities, according to the Star Tribune. 

“Minnesotans, you must stay at home tonight,” Walz said in the news conference on May 29. “Don’t go out, don’t go walking, don’t drive. Support our first responders tonight by giving them the space to protect us.”

If the mayhem continues, an additional 1,000 National Guard soldiers could be added to the already 700.

Walz said the rioters are part of an "organized attempt to destabilize civil society," according to the Star Tribune. He also said during the news conference the rioting and looting is not the same as peacefully protesting the death of George Floyd, a black man who died from Minneapolis police restraint. 

About 40 arrests were made Friday night in the Twin Cities, many of which were residents of Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Illinois and Alaska, Hennepin County jail records show. 

Despite Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin facing murder charges for Floyd's death, riots still continued, which prompted Walz to make his announcement after three days of looting, arson and violent protests. 

After Walz's announcement, the violence continued into early Saturday, May 30. Much of the violence has spread throughout cities in the nation as well. 

But Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey attempted to calm the violence. 

“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,” Walz said during a news conference. “You need to go home.”

Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington told the Star Tribune "tens of thousands" of rioters are involved in the violence, which has been overwhelming for first responders in the Twin Cities. 

Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen said the amount of National Guard troops deployed to the cities "was not enough," regardless of it being the largest show of force Minnesota has ever seen, according to the Star Tribune.