From: slider@atashram.com

Minneapolis has called for help from the National Guard following riots
over the death of George Floyd.

Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey confirmed during a press conference today
that the National Guard has been requested.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/george-floyd-death-minneapolis-protests-national-guard-derek-chauvin-video-police-racism-a9537756.html

"Yes I have made that phone call to the governor and it has been
requested. The governor and the state have been very helpful," Mr Frey
said.

"We are going to be conducting some strategizing sessions over the coming
days. Obviously one of the difficulties we have is facing a $165 to $200 million revenue shortfall and then expenses that are resourced towards Covid-19. The monies that we have available are presently somewhat limited
but this sort of calls the question of how much we do need assistance from
the federal and state government now."

Minneapolis Police Chief Madaria Arradondo said that the "tenor" of
protests changed on Wednesday night after a number of protestors not known
to the local community took part in the destruction of property.

"Yes there were certainly people who were involved in the activities last
night that were certainly not recognised as being here from the city," Mr Arrandondo said.

When asked how the protests got out of control, Mr Arrandondo said as the crowds got larger they became more mobile across the city.

"There was a core group of people that had really been focused on causing
some destruction, certainly we saw that with some of the looting and
setting fires," he said.

Mr Frey said he had authorised a unified command structure to allow
Minneapolis Police Department to use resources and personnel from other jurisdictions.

"In the coming days we will have an all-out effort to restore peace and security in our city," he Frey said.

"This work is about protecting infrastructure needed to get through this pandemic together."

Singing Amazing Grace, city council vice president Andrea Jenkins said the community had the right to be upset and a "healing space" would be created
for people to grieve.

"You have no right to perpetrate violence and harm on the very communities
that you say that you are standing up for. We need peace and calm in our streets and I am begging you for that calm," Ms Jenkins said.

"We cannot allow outsiders, or our own Minneapolitan residents, to destroy
our city, so we want to work together to ensure that people have their
voices heard in a safe manner."

Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel said they had 16 structural fires
during the riots, plus additional non-structural fires.

Grocery stores and pharmacies were among dozens of local businesses
damaged, looted or completely destroyed as the riots raged from late
Wednesday into early Thursday morning.

Minor injuries were confirmed to some police and community members,
although nothing considered significant according to Mr Arrandondo.

"Even prior to Mr Floyd's death, we have had a community that has been in trauma for quite some time and what I cannot allow as Chief is for others
to compound that trauma," Mr Arrandondo said.

"If they are setting buildings and structures on fire that are harming the safety of our elderly and youth, I cannot allow that as Chief. I cannot
allow criminal acts to occur and threaten the safety and compound the
trauma that already exists."

### - d'oh! so did some idiot perhaps mention... cake?? :D

meaning: people were already going half-nuts coz of all this lockdown
business, so then it doesn't take much to push them beyond the point where
the kettle just boils over like this? (any excuse!)

reports coming in here currently of marches and violent protests appearing
now in other states, and countries! people even massing outside the
american embassy here in london too for instance!

well they're finding an outlet for it all now aren't they lol: smashing
the place up!

same as it ever was ;)

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: www.darkrealms.ca (1:229/2)