To Fix Police Brutality, Steal From Target and Burn Down the Auto Zone

Fires colored the Minneapolis skyline on Wednesday night as the city went up in flames. Rioters trashed their city in response to the death of George Floyd, who was killed by police earlier this week. According to the Star Tribune, most of the violence could be traced back to an unruly crowd of protesters who had gathered outside the police department in the city’s Third Precinct; these protesters were “throwing objects at the building and officers and turning more violent as the night wore on.”

“The AutoZone Auto Parts store across from the Third Precinct was set afire. As some protesters tried to extinguish the fire, others danced gleefully in front of the flames and smoke, snapping selfies,” the newspaper reported. “At the nearby Lake Street Target store, looters were seen leaving with items ranging from large TVs to clothing to groceries. Looting also occurred at Minnehaha Lake Wine & Spirits, at Hiawatha and Lake, and at many other businesses in the area.”

Star Tribune reporter Liz Sawyer said that a nearby strip mall had been wrecked, with windows shattered and products being looted from the stores.

“Many of the shops destroyed along this stretch of Lake Street are immigrant-owned businesses — many of which were already struggling during the pandemic,” Sawyer reported.

Gov. Tim Walz took to Twitter to warn residents to stay out of the riot zone.

“The situation near Lake Street and Hiawatha in Minneapolis has evolved into an extremely dangerous situation. For everyone’s safety, please leave the area and allow firefighters and paramedics to get to the scene,” said the governor.

Sigh.

What in the blue hell does robbing Target and burning down the local Auto Zone have to do with George Floyd’s death? The line between conscious protesting and outright chaos isn’t all that thin. It’s not that difficult to stay on the right side of it. When you’re putting people’s lives in danger, destroying private property, and stealing an air fryer for your apartment, rest assured that you are no longer acting on behalf of the black community. You are not advocating for justice. You are compounding matters and inviting further tragedy.

That’s not too hard a concept to grasp, surely?

Well, leave it to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) to miss it.

“Shooting rubber bullets and tear gas at unarmed protesters when there are children present should never be tolerated. Ever. What is happening tonight in our city is shameful. Police need to exercise restraint, and our community needs space to heal,” Omar wrote.

Ah. Police should just sit down and let the rioters go wild, because the community needs to heal.

The rioters are inexcusable. But the Democrats who defend this behavior are disgusting.