President Donald Trump sparked an uproar with late-night tweets about the continuing protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Minneapolis burned for the 3rd straight night as hundreds of people protested the murder of the 46-year-old Black man by a white police officer.
Demonstrators and “outside agitators” looted stores and set cars and buildings on fire. A pawn shop down the street from the Minneapolis police 3rd precinct burned to the ground. The abandoned police precinct was also set on fire, as hundreds of demonstrators cheered.
The Minneapolis Fire Department responded to more than 15 different structure fires resulting from the protests on Thursday night and early Friday.
The mayor called in the National Guard on Wednesday, but President Trump wasn’t satisfied with the city’s response to the looting and mayhem.
Trump threatened to send in more National Guard units and “get the job done right.”
“I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis,” he tweeted just before 1 a.m. Friday.
“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 angered Twitter users by referring to the mostly white looters and vandals as “THUGS.” He tweeted, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
“These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!”
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
The White House claims Trump was referring to shooting looters with rubber bullets, not real ammunition.
In response to the backlash, Twitter censored Trump’s tweet, placing it behind a warning label.
According to Twitter, Trump’s tweet “violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.”
Outraged Twitter users assumed Trump was referring to Black people as “thugs.” Even though the majority of protesters have been whites, the looting and vandalism is being blamed on Black people.
Twitter activists complain that property owners and police officers are destroying properties to file insurance claims during the coronavirus lockdown.
Jacob Pederson of the St. Paul PD is outed as the individual who smashed the windows at AutoZone. Police are posing as protesters burning buildings to portray a false narrative. This happened in 2015 and it's happening again. #BlackLivesMatter #GeorgeFloyd #MinneapolisUprising pic.twitter.com/uwWlRco8D8
— ummmm (@umnnmmm) May 29, 2020
The agent provocateur that started the riots in Minneapolis turns out to be Jacob Pederson, a cop. The best part is that his ex-wife identified his ass. pic.twitter.com/B2LIrz7n5B
— WE HAVE NO OPPOSITION PARTY (@WhiskersCrowley) May 29, 2020
