With xfinity a breeze. Visit xfinity. Com moving today. This is cnn breaking news. Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. Im michael holmes. Well, from a pandemic to pandemonium, right now in cities across the u. S. , the Health Crisis that has consumed almost every aspect of life for months now, is being upstaged by a social crisis. One that has been simmering for generations. Protestors, nationwide, have been expressing pain and anger over the death of an unarmed, africanamerican man. His name was george floyd, who died in Police Custody earlier this week in minneapolis, minnesota. Now, the violent protests there last night exploded across the country today. From washington to new york, atlanta, and detroit. And to dallas, denver, los angeles, san jose, and more. A few of those demonstrations turning very ugly, with people
setting fires, damaging property, and hurling objects at police. Some of that destruction happened right here, at cnns world headquarters. This day of rage, coming as prosecutors in minnesota announce the first charges related to floyds death. Fired Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin is now charged with thirddegree manslaughter. You might find the following documents disturbing. The charging document says he had his knee on floyds neck for more than eight minutes. Even though floyd repeatedly said i couldnt breathe. The document said floyd was unresponsive for almost three minutes before chauvin removed his knee from his neck. Anticipates charges for the other officers as well and new video you see now shows the
video from a different angle. And might shed more light on the extent of their involvement. You see three officers leaning on his body there. Now, friday night, there were some very tense moments in minneapolis between police and protestors. Earlier, our chris cuomo asked cnn sara sidner if perhaps police were lining up on one minneapolis street to distract growing groups of people. Have a listen. It is not a distraction. There are a couple hundred, i think, officers that have come this way. They have already told the crowd that this is an unlawful assembly. Just like you heard kyung talking about. Except for here, there was a curfew that was supposed to start at 8 00 that they havent been enforcing. Now, theyve been enforcing. Heres whats happening. As they advance street by street, the protestors then back up and set up a barricade. They are using whatever they can. Right now, its trash cans. They set things on fire to try and put something between themselves and the officers. They pick up rocks. They throw them at the officers. The officers then return,
usually, with some sort of teargas or shooting rubber bullets. We have seen people get injured from the rubber bullets. And then, officers will start to advance again. The crowd backs up. And then, you see this scenario, literally, street by street, we are watching this. Now, we are about three blocks from the fifth precinct. You see there . You see there . Someone throwing a rock. Now, if you wait a bit, you will start seeing you will start seeing the teargas and the rubber bullets and, you know, the rubber bullets have been flying by us. And the teargas has been coming in between us. But people will start coming up. And we have heard people here say, look, we are not going to stop fighting about this right now because they dont feel like theyve ever been heard enough. And now, theyve unleashed theyve just unleashed all emotions to try and deal with this. So the police, though, from their perspective, they dont want to see any more destruction. We are now in a regular
neighborhood, chris. Let me look around just a tiny bit and go around the fires. We are in a neighborhood with peoples homes. Like, this isnt in the same area where you were seeing things go down in the third precinct. We are now backed up into a neighborhood, where folks live. We see we see some elderly folks looking out the window with their phones recording. But these are homes here. And what these guys have not done anything to the homes, they have stayed in the street. And their focus is directly on the police. Who have made a move. They are now just stopped about three blocks from the fifth precinct. And every now and then, you see that bright light. They will shine a bright light. And then, you may see some teargas coming from there as well. Every time someone comes up to throw a rock, thats where you are seeing this catandmouse game here. And then police are returning fire with teargas and rubber bullets. Sara sidner reporting there. As we said, this violence has been going on in many different
places, around the country, including los angeles. Our kyung lah is there and we join her now. The latest from where you are, kyung, it is, what, 11 00 p. M. There . And things were heating up earlier. Bring us up to date. I just want to give you a sense of where i am right now. You can hear all the sirens. You can see all the police. And i want you to take a look at whats happening over here. These these are officers who are staging. What we have a seve seen throu evening are Police Officers staging and then moving into intersections, trying to break up crowds of protestors. The protests, initially, when they started, they were trying to block freeways. They were verbally confronting Police Officers. And then, as the hours went on, we saw more violence. Youve seen stores looted. A starbucks. A dining a restaurant. A liquor store. A clothing store. And these are just what we saw. A subway. And so what police are trying to do, at this point, is that the lapd has to clear back up a little bit. Okay. So what were going to to follow Police Officer orders and back away. What they are trying to do is to clear this area, and to clear different parts of los angeles because the protestors have decided to not leave. And after sorry and after the violence and the vandalism, the this was declared an unlawful assembly. There have been at least two los angeles Police Officers who have been injured. They went to the hospital. There were rocks being thrown at police cars. Weve seen a number of Police Officer vehicles that have bchb
spr been spray painted and the windows smashed. So at this point, theyre simply trying to clear the streets. And you can see how theyve made a formation here. When they come across a crowd, michael, they use flash bangs to try to disperse that crowd. We have not seen any protestors injured. And i, personally, have not seen any Police Officers injured. But the report that we are gating from the Los Angeles Police department is that at least two Police Officers have, indeed, been injured this evening. Michael. Have you been able to get a sense of the size of the protests there in l. A. . And what have the protestors been telling you . Its its very difficult. I i dont think i could give you an accurate number because what ive seen is that there are larger gatherings of protestors from our affiliate aerial pictures. But ive only been in crowds that appear to be smaller. And there have been a number of groups. It appears that part of the Police Tactic is to not allow a large congregation of them to
merge into one. And so, they have broken up into these smaller groups. And ive been among the smaller groups. So its very, very difficult to tell how big they are. As far as what theyre telling us, you can hear it in their chants. They are talking about justice. That they are saying that there will not be peace, without justice. But, also, if you start to look at whos in the crowd, its a diverse crowd. It appears that not everyone is motivated by, you know, civil rights or by expressing anger, just, at the news events. So its very, very difficult to tell exactly what everyone is motivated by when they gather this evening. Yeah. These protests not always monolithic. Different groups, with different aims, and carrying out different actions. Kyung lah, stay safe there. It is just after 11 00 p. M. On the west coast. Well check in with you later. Meanwhile, peaceful protests
turning violent literally just meters in here in atlanta outside the cnn center. And just a little while ago, the governor, declaring a state of emergency and deploying 500 members of the National Guard. As i said, most much of the action happened just outside where i sit now, at the cnn center. A police car in front of this building was set on fire. Windows were smashed. A lot of windows were smashed. And some buildings were looted, as well. The chaos continued well into the night. It continues as i speak now, just after 2 00 a. M. , here on the east coast. Police responded with teargas in some areas. Our nick valencia was in the middle of the demonstrations. Here is his report. Reporter what started as a peaceful demonstration didnt take long to turn violent. Cnn center was one of the targets of the frustration of the demonstrators. They showed up here, in solidarity, with the demonstrations that have been
happening in minneapolis, hours after arriving here, though, at cnn center, they began breaking windows. Throwing rocks. Just look at some of the items that were being tossed towards the police line. In fact, our crew here, along with my photographer William Walker and producer kevin conlin, were here as police had a standoff with demonstrators. That video youre witnessing, looking at now, it was intense, to say the least. This scene was chaotic. It was we saw officers at least two officers injured in clashes with demonstrators. Look at these windows busted open by an individual who is using a skateboard to smash open the windows. And there was a point and a moment where it appeared as though the demonstrators might actually gain entrance into the cnn center. Eventually, that crowd was dispersed by the police using teargas canisters. They were eventually able to pull the demonstration demonstrators back. But it did take hours before the unrest that we saw unfold in
downtown atlanta was finally clear from the streets. Reporting at cnn center. Im nick valencia. Lets get some perspective now from cedric alexander. He is a former Police Executive and past president of the National Organization of black law executives. Joins us from pensacola, florida. And appreciate you doing so. You were in Law Enforcement for 40 years. When when you talk to your former colleagues about what happened in minneapolis and whats happening around the country, what what do they tell you . Well, we all are dismayed. We all are very hurt, if you will. Very angry because, certainly, what we all observed happened on monday, may 24th, was we all consider a black eye to the profession. Because those four men are not indicative of the men and women who are out there tonight that you see helping to control those streets and keep everyone safe and allow them to exercise their firstamendment right. But, were going to get past this, too. And we just hope that, as we continue in trying to deliver the type of service to the community that they so deserve, that what happened monday is certainly not in any kind of way indicative of the work that men and women do across this country. People are ashamed. And we certainly hope justice is explored, in a fair process for them. And its no doubt in our mind that theyre going the other three are going to be arrested. And due process will take place. But that type of behavior, the loss of life, the way that we observed it, it was cruel. It was mean. And its not indicative of the profession. Well, certainly. Certainly, here in atlanta, there was remarkable restraint by police that, you know, i witnessed myself here at the cnn center. I mean, in in the broader
sense, you know, its a problem bad actions by cops, some of course, just a very few. Or is it a culture thats devolved in Police Forces . Is there something engrained or systemic that needs to change . Well, certainly, it can be systemic. Look. You will always hear that there are a few bad apples in the bunch. And there is a lot of truth to that. The problem becomes, its important having chief two cities myself in my career. Its important that we look inside our organizations, and from top to bottom. Because if you can have four people, one that actually kill a man right in front of us. And the other three that stand there. That is suggestive for me of a larger systemic problem that may exist inside of Minneapolis Police department. So it becomes incumbent upon the leadership, that elected mayor, that chief, to look inside that organization because those types
of behaviors. If they could do what they did, on camera, in broad daylight, the question becomes is this indicative of past behavior, where there has been no cameras in dark . So we have to take a look inside of our organizations, and make sure that we dont allow those types of behaviors to exist and to sustain themselves. Because it certainly does spoil the whole bunch. And and and people expect far more from their publicsafety officials and they should. Yeah. I think one other thing that is incredibly disturbing is the new detail that came out on friday about what this officer did and for how long he did it. It was nearly nine minutes with his knee on the neck of a handcuffed man, on the ground. More than two minutes with his knee on George Floyds neck, after he was apparently unconscious. All while bystanders are taping
with it and pleading with it. And the officer just didnt seem to care about that. I mean, what did you what did you make of that . I mean, its a clear display, to anybody thats sitting out here and watching it, looking, that was an individual that was an individual, who we are glad to say got arrested earlier today, who was very callous. Has no empathy. No concern. No moral compass, whatsoever, about himself. A man is begging you to let him breathe, and you continued to choke him and rock him with your knee with an appearance that your hand is in your pocket. That is unspeakable. And the american people, and people around the globe, watched it. And if you look at those folks that are out across our cities, across this country tonight, thats anger. Theyre mad. They feel that they have no other recourse. Them doing what theyre doing,
tearing up property is wrong. There is no excuse for that. But we got to do better than this. Were much far greater country than this. Were much far better than this. But, for those types of attitudes and that type of behavior to exist, in any Police Department in this country, anywhere, cannot be acceptable to anyone. And policemen and women who work with people like that and suspect and been around them. Carry on that type of behavior. You better do it. Yeah. Yourself and your lifestyle and could possibly be criminally yourself. Cedric alexander. Really appreciate it. Were right out of time. Appreciate you coming on. Spending time with us at this late hour. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. All right. Quick break now. When we come back, well get you up to speed on the coronavirus pandemic. Yeah. Thats still going on. New york, which had more cases and deaths than many countries, is moving to reopen. Well also have some big
developments out of the white house when we come back. When we started our business we were paying an arm and a leg for postage. I remember setting up shipstation. One or two clicks and everything was up and running. I was printing out labels and saving money. Shipstation saves us so much time. It makes it really easy and seamless. Pick an order, print everything you need, slap the label onto the box, and its ready to go. Our costs for shipping were cut in half. Just like that. Shipstation. The 1 choice of online sellers. Go to shipstation. Com tv and get 2 months free. Shi dont have to worry about ththat, do i . Are irritated. Of online sellers. Harmful bacteria lurk just below the gum line. Crest gum detoxify, voted product of the year. It works below the gum line to neutralize harmful plaque bacteria and help reverse early gum damage. Gum detoxify, from crest. For people with Heart Failure taking entresto, it may lead to a world of possibilities. Entresto helps improve your hearts ability to pump blood to the body. Dont take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. Dont take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if youve had angioedema with an ace or arb. The most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. Ask your doctor about entresto. Welcome back. A quick update on our top story right now. The fired Minneapolis Police officer seen on video with his knee on an unarmed black mans neck has been charged with thirddegree murder and manslaughter. For the killing of george floyd. The other three officers who were there, as well, and were involved could also be charged. That hasnt happened just yet. The case, of course, inciting pain and a lot of anger across the u. S. Georgias governor activating the National Guard after protests in atlanta turned violent. The twin cities of minneapolis and st. Paul where the protests exploded last night, are under curfew now. Several people there were arrested near a Police Precinct for ignoring dispersal orders. Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases and deaths continue to climb. According to Johns Hopkins university, there are more than
360,000 deaths worldwide. The United States, leading the world, by far, with more than 102,000 deaths. Most of those deaths, along the u. S. East coast. New york, of course, was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the u. S. And the death toll there, more than 29,000 people alone. But, now, the city, poised to reopen in a couple of weeks. Well done, new york city. Once the epicenter for the pandemic, new york city about to reach a major milestone. Its set to reopen in less than two weeks. June 8th, we have to be smart. Again, this is not a happy days here again, its over. We have to be smart. The city says it will monitor key data, daily, in phase one. And if the numbers reach a certain threshold, it could trigger restrictions again. On monday, five regions of the state are set to move into the next phase, where hairdressers, business offices, and retail can open with some limits. Like new york, 24 other states in the country are seeing a downward trend in the sevenday average of new coronavirus cases. In washington, d. C. , hair salons reopened today, by appointment. And residents could enjoy dining out, again. But outdoor only. Today is the first day of phase one or what i like to call stay at home lite. Georgia, which continues to hold steady, will take the major step of reopening bars and nightclubs, with social distancing. Still, there is growing concern about the rising cases in 15 states. Primarily, in the southeast, like arkansas, which saw its highest singleday increase of Community Spread coronavirus cases thursday. The situation is critical in alabama, where cases are doubling. Two weeks after the state started to reopen. Icu beds are filling fast, causing shortages in some cities. The least prepared to deal with this kind of surge, have the least capacity really to do this. And this is what we have been warning about for months now. In washington and california, where the first cases in the country were reported, both states are seeing cases spike. California, just recently feeling its biggest jump since the pandemic started. When you are testing 20 to 30 fold more individuals, you are going to have more positive tests. Thats an inevitability. And a grim prediction from the cdc as we move into another month of this pandemic. The agency, forecasting the death toll could surpass 123,000 deaths in the u. S. , in the next three weeks. Back here, in new york, if those numbers continue to drop. If that june 8th reopening date actually sticks, then we could see construction coming back. Manufacturing. Curbside retail pickup in new york city. The city says its actually working with Business Owners to ease this transition. Now, throughout this pandemic, President Donald Trump has threatened to end the
relationship between the World Health Organization and the u. S. Well now, he says, its happening. Here are the reasons hes giving for the move. Reasons that have drawn criticism, from both sides of the aisle. China has total control over the World Health Organization. Despite only paying 40 million per year, compared to what the United States has been paying, which is approximately 450 million a year. We have detailed the reforms that it must make, and engage with them directly. But they have refused to act. Joining me now is cnns International Diplomatic editor, nic robertson, live from london. I mean, this decision to withdrawal from the w. H. O. In the middle of a pandemic, i mean, from a health perspective, many saying illadvised because the u. S. Is doing so poorly with the virus. But also, if chinas influence
on the w. H. O. , didnt that increase just increase . Yeah. I think when the United States look at President Trumps actions here, this is a conclusion they are going to come to. This is enabling china, rather than disabling it because their voices at the w. H. O. Will be lessened by the fact that the United States voice isnt being heard. The American Medical Association calls the action senseless. Says there will be significant, harmful repercussions. The Infectious Diseases society says that, you know, the virus doesnt respect international borders. Doesnt respect political positions. That Everyone Needs to work together. And, to that point, the w. H. O. , yesterday, actually opened a new portal for sharing information about coronavirus, about therapeutics, about vaccines. About about data. And the the notion that the United States allies can get behind its position, overall, on
china and can get behind President Trumps position medically here, it just doesnt hold water. So the United States becomes more isolated. China doesnt necessarily get a bigger say at the w. H. O. Its still being criticized by, you know, the United States allies for not providing enough information in the early days about what was happening with coronavirus in china. But, by default, chinas voice gets stronger. Absent the United States and and a United States that doesnt have its allies at its side. So it does seem counterproductive in diplomatic terms, michael. Indeed. Nic, thank you. Nic robertson in london there for us. We are going to take a quick break here. When we come back, much more on our top story. A night of rage in cities across the u. S. Set off by the death of an unarmed africanamerican man, at the hands of police in minneapolis. Well be right back. When visible set out to create the future of phone service. We tossed the stuff that wasnt working. Stuff like footlong bills and fees from nowhere. Timewasting stores, misleading ads, unhelpful help centers. And saved the stuff that was working. Like verizons 4g lte network. Plus unlimited data, messages, and minutes. Its a simple system. Trim the bad. Make the good better. And way cheaper. Meet visible. Unlimited data on verizons 4g lte network. Just 25 for your first month. Join us at visible. Com. The returdraftinging the return of the slide job ripping the wall gasngo bumpnrun the return of loud nascar is back, and xfinity is bringing you the best seat in the house. We want to take you to minnesota, where the governor tim waltz is speaking live. Lets have a listen. Our local partners in minneapolis, st. Paul, and our joint powers agreements are are assisting. The situation is incredibly dangerous. The situation is fluid. It is dynamic. I would, first of all, thank all minnesotans, who chose to protect our cities, who chose to protect our neighbors and stay home, thank you for that. To all of the First Responders who are out there, from firefighters to National Guard, to to line crews to utilities workers who are out there to keep us safe, i want to thank you for that. Law enforcement is responding the best they can. In this situation. Well get you all of the numbers that are out there. I want to say, first of all, i, myself, can fully understand the rage. I spoke, this evening, to George Floyds siblings, quite extensively. I understand that rage. Weve talked about it. We we understand what has to happen. Whats going on out there right now is not that. The wanton destruction and, specifically of businesses that took generations to build, are being torn down. All of those infrastructures of Civil Society and the things that make our city great, which which lends me to believe, as we look at this, the disenfranchisement that went with what we witnessed with with georges death is one thing. But the absolute chaos. This is not grieving and this is not this is not making a
statement that that we fully acknowledge needs to be fixed. This is lifethreatening, dangerous to the most wellqualified forces that are out there facing this. So i want to acknowledge that. Im deeply concerned with the people who you you need to go home. You need to go home. The purpose of this and were seeing it spread up across the country, is making it more difficult to get to the point where we can deal with these issues. Our neighbors are afraid. People are watching this across here and they want to know whats happening. We promised you today, and i want to thank mayor frey for the leadership today. And i think the issue of coordination and and communicating together. This is the largest civilian deployment in Minnesota History that we have out there today. And, quite candidly, right now, we do not have the numbers. We cannot arrest people when were trying to hold ground because of the sheer size, the dynamics, and the wanton violence thats coming out there. Colonel langer spoke about this
often. Seasoned folks who have deployed overseas and seen this and now seeing this here in our neighborhoods. We will talk about this and ways and resources we have left. But, to put this into perspective, the force that we have out there now is about three times larger than the one in the 60s, which is the largest during the race riots and they are out there right now. And the capacity to be able to do offensive actions and they are out there doing that arresting the folks that we can. But, as youve seen, theres already shots being fired back at our people. This arson that is taking place puts many people at risk. Our firefighters are specifically and very open to target and minneapolis fire has been responding heroically. And i tell you all, the citizens, the Response Time is fast as we want to get it. And that responsibility, as i said, today for coordination, lies with us. I will take responsibility for the underestimating the wanton destruction and the size of this crowd. We have deployed a force that i think as we set down together and talked about, would have, in
any other civilian military or civilian police operation, worked. But the terrifying thing is you have aheard people who have seen this and myself looking at this, it resembles more of a military operation at times now, especially ringleaders moving place to place. So i would ask all of us to, again, go home to protect our assets. Understanding that the priority of this Mission Today and the plan to do it was to deploy the assets that we had. To work in coordination, and beef up what we had to do, very, very quickly. In command and control of those, put a joint force together to, first and foremost, protect life, followed by protecting property. Followed by restoring order. And the issue, as ive said this time and time again, whether it was something that now seems so simple to do stayathome orders about covid, is to try and get the situation under control to protect all those things. But there is a compact that goes in Civilized Society that you
have to have social buy in. And so, with the elements that are out there now, they are stopping semis by blocking roads and then raiding whats in them. This is not about georges death. This is not about inequities that were real. This is about chaos being caused. And so, my responsibility on this and i do want to thank the mayor. Executing a plan is very difficult. And i think the frustrations we all feel certainly isnt aimed at the mayor. He is performing dmadmirably. The same thing with mayor carter of executing together. This is an operation that has never been done in minnesota. The the scope of this has now reached globally or excuse me, across the nation. We were in contact today and had an extensive conversation. General jensen, commissioner harrington and i, and general millie, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to talk about assets and ways we can help to assess the situation as they are
seeing it on the ground. And to put those things into a plan to operate today. That plan has not changed and our folks are out there, as we speak, right now, doing this. Our intention is still do those very same things. Protect the lives of minnesotans, try and protect as much property as we can, and try and restore order on the streets. I have to do that in a way that protects those who are out there doing that. To ask them to go in a Forward Motion to try and get some of these people, they are wellcoordinated. They will flank these groups. They will do Everything Possible to cause that destruction. So, with that being said, im going to have mayor frey come up. A and well talk about what the next steps are because i want to be clear. Were about 72 hours into this. The mayors quick action of activating the National Guard, i believe protected as much as we could. I think, now, as we think about this and were this far into this, it seems almost impossible, two days ago, from an accusation. We went today, planning tonight, for what tomorrow is going to look like because i think minnesotans need to recognize,
and we clearly recognize this, what you see tonight will r replicate tomorrow unless we change something that we are doing. The execution of the plan and the quality of the First Responders who are out there. You have you have veterans of combat tours overseas. You have state patrol who are seasoned. You have local police and firefighters, who have been doing this for decades. And are the best at what they do. Theyre just not used to doing it. Where you have wanton destruction. And the challenge that we face, and the challenge that the mayor faces. We have to do it with ensuring the safety of those people. Ensuring there are legitimate people who want to try and express their grief. The folks who are out there right now want nothing more than entice into conflict. Entice something that sets this off even further. Entices our folks to get in a situation where we start to lose life. And so, that adds the complexity to it. If it were as simple as just push them and move them back, that would be one thing. They cannot do that. So i want to just reiterate that minnesotans deserve a plan to try and get this. We need to assess that, with all of the tools that we have, with the experience that weve seen in this. We are certainly in contact with our neighboring states and cooperations, as well as the federal government to think about the best way to do this. The situation tomorrow will be increasingly more difficult because this has spread to other cities in a serious way, which makes the challenge of civil order even that much more difficult. But i do want to and just clarify, to my friend and someone whos led in this and a mayor who should never be put in a position that he was put in. To try and respond. There are a limited number of resources that any city has. And this force thats out there right now bent on this is simply overwhelming what we have on the ground. And so, at this point, it becomes more of a hold what we have and do the best we can. So i want to thank you, mayor frey, i want to thank you you for basically being up for 72 hours. And, every minute, picking up the phone and continuing to adapt to the situation. So, mayor. Thank you, governor. And thank you for the command and control today and the partnership. Minneapolis, i know you are reeling due to lack of sleep and heartbreak for seeing the events over the last couple of days. Im reeling, too. We, as a city, are so much more than this. We, as a city, can be so much better than this. There is no honor in burning down your city. There is no pride in looting
local businesses that have become institutions of a neighborhood. These are institutions that people are counting on. Especially, during a time of pandemic. They are counting on Grocery Stores to get food. Theyre counting on pharmacies to get medicine. They are counting on their local bank to get cash. If you care about your community, ya got to put this to an end. It needs to stop. Youre not getting back at the Police Officer that tragically killed george floyd. By looting a town. Youre not getting back at anybody. If you have a friend or a Family Member that is out right now,
call them. Tell them to come home. It is not safe. It is not right. If we care about our city, lets do the right thing now. We are doing absolutely everything we can. Our firefighters are hauling around the city, putting out fires, as quickly as they possibly can. Our Police Officers are doing everything to secure corridors, to make sure that the looting stops. And to try and prevent these necessary precincts, which are so essential to safety. Right now, chief and chief frietel are in minneapolis, doing everything they possibly can. As i said in the beginning, i am reeling. And i know each and every one of you is, too. Lets do right by our city. Lets do right by our communities. And lets put ourselves in a position, five and ten years from now, where we look back at this day. And we recognize that this was the point where we decided to make a change. I know, in my heart, that we can do it. Because i know, in my heart, that minneapolis is everything that we believe it to be. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. John. Commissioner john harrington. Minister department of Public Safety. Yesterday, we put together a unified command structure. A unified command. Bringing together minneapolis
Police Department, st. Paul Police Department, sheriffs departments, Minnesota State patrol, dnr, and general jensens men and women of the minnesota National Guard. We created a plan that brought together one of the largest civil Police Forces that we have ever seen in the state of minnesota. Larger, frankly, than we had for the Republican National convention, even. With well in excess of 2,500 officers total committed to the effort of keeping the peace. We had a very clear mission. The governor was Crystal Clear and the mayors have been Crystal Clear that our mission was to keep the peace. To maintain order. And to stop lawless behavior. By 8 00 last night, we began to see that we were going to have to operate on multiple different
fronts of criminal behavior. With reports from st. Paul that they were actively engaged. Reports that we had individuals that were breaching the minnesota freeways around 35 w. That we had crowds of in excess of 2,000 in the lake street area, east of hiawatha. Crowds of hundreds in the area of lake street. And crowds of a thousand or more in downtown. We reassessed the assets that we had. The personnel that we had. And redeployed to try and be as at as many of those as we could be at. But we recognize that we simply did not, even with the numbers that im talking about, have enough officers and personnel to meet all of those missions safely and successfully. We picked missions based on our capacity, and those missions focused on downtown off nicolete and also focused on the precinct area of nicolette and lake. We continue infrastructures around other places that we believed, through good intel, were being targeted and and would have been destroyed. And we have continued to hold those places of critical infrastructure, even as we speak. At the nicolette and lake area, forces were able to rally around that area. They were able to disperse a crowd and make, what i am told is, in the neighborhood of about 50 arrests. We have a mobile field force of in excess of 300. Larger than the mobile field force that we utilized last night, to clear the hiawatha and east lake street area. And they have they have been actively engaged. But the level of resistance that we have seen tonight has increased exponentially. We have had officers shot at. We have had what looks to be like improvised munitions that have been targeted toward the officers. Weve had officers injured. And we are in continuing to push that crowd on east of hiawatha with the attempt to try and do what we did last night, which was to move them off of the streets and to restore order there. But we recognize that, as we do that, continuing to hold the area the nicolette and lake and try and maintain order in
downtown. That we will need far more officers and far more National Guard resources than we currently have. We have created a request for the National Guard to substantially increase the number of National Guard officers that would be available. And we have reassessed our strategy in terms of our ability to mobilize mobile field forces that have been effective in moving against what is now an armed and more entrenched group of protestors. And what i would really operate and say more that they are an entrenched group of rioters. We have had officers that have been injured. None seriously, at this point. But we have not given up our efforts to try and clear those streets. We will not give up our efforts to clear those streets. We are committed to restoring
order in minneapolis. Helping st. Paul maintain order. And were getting ready for what will be one of the largest crowds that we have ever heard and that we recognize that we will be at the center of a, not just statewide event, not just a National Event but, what is now looking to be like an interNational Event tomorrow. In that same area that were holding right now, in the area around nicolette and lake. This time, i ask general john jensen from minnesota National Guard to provide his comments. Good morning. Major john jensen. Just really quickly, i would like to cover some quick operations that we are involved in. Currently, in minneapolis. We are currently have escorted and are supporting three minnesota im sorry Minneapolis Fire Department teams on fires. Chicago and lake. Lake and park. And nicolette and 31st street. So we continued our support to the Minneapolis Fire Department, that we began yesterday. We also have over 100 soldiers currently at nicolette mall between hyatt hotel and grand street, supporting trafficcontrol points, in support of our state highway patrol. This morning at approximately 12 30, i believe, in cooperation and consultation with colonel matt langer, the commander of the Minnesota State patrol, the governor authorized the
minnesota National Guard to increase our strength. The initial request was for 1,000 additional soldiers to support the department of Public Safety and our state highway patrol. Governor waltz and i have looked at different ways that were going to mobilize this force. And currently, what were going to use are units that who would normally report to their normal training this weekend. My belief is that we will exceed the 1,000 mark. As the governor mentioned, this will be the largest deployment inside the state of minnesota in history. At the conclusion of tomorrow, i believe that we will have over 1,700 soldiers in support of the department of Public Safety, the city of minneapolis, and the city of st. Paul. You may have you may have
seen or heard that, this evening, the president directed the pentagon to put units of United States army on alert to possible operation in minneapolis. While we were not consulted with, as it relates to that, i do believe its a prudent move to provide other options available for the governor, if the governor elects to use those resources. So, at this time, governor, completes my comments. Thank you. Thank you, jensen. Thank you, commissioner. The situation now is, is the the minnesotans who maybe dont understand this of the force structure we have. We some of this, of course, classified. But where minnesota soldiers are deployed overseas and in support of missions. And and that is a limited force because the National Guard is what it is in states. And when we talk about calling up the National Guard, its not
like pulling something off a she shelf and its there. This is a human being, citizen soldier who is working across the state and they get called in. They need to gather equipment and make their things, put their things in order. Report to their armory. Staff up. And start understanding where their mission is. So it is it is not as easy as it might seem. These deployment levels are reaching deployment levels when we deploy overseas in support of operation and during freedom and some of those types of operations. So the the Mission Remains the same. To restore order. To protect life and property to the best we can. We are in close coordination, other than this this move by the white house to do that. And i agree with general jensen. As i spoke with President Trump the other night, i think it is prudent to have them ready for us to exhaust all resources that we need. And, again, general millie was was quite extensive and we spent quite some time thinking about where those
assets are. And they also have to now understand what our federal assets are, into an everwidening situation when were losing Police Precincts in brooklyn and and and some of this unrest spreading across the country. So what i would say, minnesotans, once again, an unprecedented threat to our state. A tragedy that was the catalyst for this. That has morphed into something much different. The challenges of protecting people who wanton destruction is their goal, no regard to life or property, and no sense of civic pride of who we are. Thats what these folks are up against. In in a quite dangerous environment. So i would, once again, thank minnesotans who stayed home. Thanks for looking out for one another. Our goal is to do everything that we can to start to restore order. And and working with our partners on this. And as i said today, once this became a unified command starting last evening, thats the state of minnesota with me. With that, don. Governor, for the second night in a row, hundreds of thousands, or maybe millions. All right. There weve been listening to the governor, tim waltz there, speaking about the situation in minnesota. He says he can fully understand the rage on the streets. But laments the damage the wanton violence, he said, lifethreatening, dangerous behaviors, he talked of shots being fired at Law Enforcement. And said that firefighters are vulnerable. And he said that what he is seeing on the streets resembles more of a military operation than a police operation, in terms of scale and the tactics required to deal with what he said were organized groups, with leadership who want to entice authorities into conflict. Thanks for being with us this hour. Im michael holmes. Dont go away. Ill be right back, with more news, after the break. The return of drifting
drafting the return of the slide job