Culture & Society

Antifa moves in: Another night of rage and violence in Minnesota

April 14, 2021 | | Print Article

Protests turned ugly and violent in Minnesota for the third night in a row as more than 60 protesters were arrested for rioting, vandalism, and throwing projectiles at police officers following the officer-involved death of Daunte Wright on Sunday.

Antifa members allegedly arrived on the scene Tuesday night in Brooklyn Center and they expressed their anger violently. The makeup of the mob changed drastically Tuesday night and officers made “many arrests for riot and other criminal behaviors.”

On Monday night, 40 people were arrested for rioting. Protests in Portland, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago took place as well Tuesday night. In Portland, approximately 100 people attacked the police union headquarters in North Portland. They set the building on fire, shot off fireworks, and blocked traffic.

Minnesota State Patrol Colonel Matt Langer held a press conference and said the actions by rioters will not be tolerated: “The behaviors that we continue to see are unacceptable and we are not going to tolerate them …It is not acceptable and it will not be tolerated if you choose to do criminal activity and destroy property and throw objects and make it unsafe for people to come and exercise their First Amendment rights.”

Bricks, bottles, and other projectiles were thrown at officers according to Booker Hodges, who is an assistant commissioner for the Minnesota Department for Public Safety.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

Fox News reported that a number of the protesters identified as Antifa: “On Sunday night it was all about the locals that were here and they were genuine and they were angry. As it goes on, you get more people coming in from out of town,” Fox reporter Mike Tobin told host Laura Ingraham. “I had a lot of people – several people I spoke with tonight – who identified themselves as Antifa and angrily so.”

A fence was erected around the police station and protesters shook it trying to gain access. Officers deployed riot gas and flash-bang grenades to force them back.

“Unfortunately again, some citizens decided to come out and throw these bricks and these other items at law enforcement and this type of behavior is not acceptable and we’re just, quite frankly, not going to tolerate it,” Hodges declared.

Protesters demanded an independent investigation into the death of Wright who was allegedly shot while trying to flee a traffic stop for an expired tag on Sunday. Wright had an outstanding warrant and the officers tried to take him into custody before he twisted away and got in his car. A female officer shot him once and killed him as he escaped. She asserted that she intended to Taser him and accidentally shot him instead. Both the officer in question, Kim Potter, and Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tom Gannon have now resigned.

On Tuesday, police declared the protest an unlawful assembly as the mandated curfew went into effect. Protesters were informed that they would be arrested if they did not disperse.

Numerous peaceful protests took place during the day, but as night descended, the situation “devolved.”

“As the evening unfolded, the event devolved and became more contentious, tension rose and once again we saw groups choose to actively begin trying to compromise the fence that is securing the police department, began throwing objects…started with the fireworks, started with lasers being pointed and started with activities that lead toward a riot,” Langer said.

“We want an independent body to investigate police killings and not the [Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension],” attorney and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong demanded, according to the Star Tribune. She claims to have spoken with Gov. Tim Walz concerning a number of bills addressing police accountability: “Ending qualified immunity is an example … to stop killing people on the taxpayer’s dollars,” she emphasized.

According to The Independent, officer Potter and her family left her home after her address was leaked on social media. It is being reported that a number of her neighbors have left as well out of fear of retaliation against Potter. Many claimed to be fearful of repercussions. Fencing has been placed in front of her home and police have been stationed there according to the Wall Street Journal.

“We’re stressed, we’re nervous. I’ve been told some of the neighbors have left,” one neighbor said. “It was a horrible situation. We also feel bad for Mr. Wright’s family.”

Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of an FBI building in Brooklyn Center Tuesday night. Banners demanded: “Justice for Daunte Wright.” Outside the heavily guarded police headquarters, rioters scrawled “Murderapolis” on a concrete barrier.

“Because you all showed up, Kim Potter doesn’t have a job anymore,” activist Toussaint Morrison proclaimed. “Kim Potter was a police officer longer than Daunte was alive. … You can’t tell me that was an accident.”

Twitter showcased the violence that occurred in numerous cities during the rioting:

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Terresa Monroe-Hamilton
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