Gov. Tim Walz deploying 1,000 more from National Guard in response to unrest

The move is in response to several days of violence, vandalism and fires in after the death of George Floyd.

May 30, 2020 at 9:11PM

Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday that he greatly expanding the state's military response to unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul over the death of George Floyd and deploying 1,000 additional members of the Minnesota National Guard.

This is in addition to the roughly 700 called on earlier this week as protesters — whether upset about Floyd's death after his encounter in Minneapolis with police or seeing an opportunity commit crimes — lit fires, vandalized businesses while creating chaos that overwhelmed police and other law enforcement on the ground.

On Friday, now-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of Floyd. Chauvin had Floyd pinned under his knee for many minutes during a curbside detention at a commercial intersection.

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Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

Protesters skirmished with the National Guard near the Third Precinct in south Minneapolis before heading down Lake St. toward the Fifth Precinct on Friday night.
Protesters skirmished with the National Guard near the Third Precinct in south Minneapolis before heading down Lake St. toward the Fifth Precinct on Friday night. (Marci Schmitt — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Paul Walsh

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Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota.

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