[Minnesota Uprising\George Floyd]
After midnight some demonstrators descended on the Minneapolis Police Department’s 4th Precinct northwest of downtown, where officers stood guard outside.
Photo: Youtube
Police precinct where murderers of Geroge Floyd were employed was burned down Thursday night.
A police precinct was burning in Minneapolis as protests over the death of George Floyd raged on for a third straight day.
Protesters late Thursday focused their attention on the police department’s 3rd Precinct, the base of four officers who were fired after Floyd’s death in their custody Monday.
A fire spread to the interior of the station, which police had evacuated. They cleared the building shortly after 10 p.m., when demonstrators forcibly entered and “ignited several fires,” department spokesman John Elder said.
Mayor Jacob Frey said in an early morning news conference Friday that he made the decision to pull police out of the precinct. “You know brick and mortar is not as important as life,” he said.
He called the vandalism and arson “unacceptable,” but he vowed that officers would continue to patrol the community served by the 3rd Precinct. “We will continue to do our jobs in that area,” Frey said.
Fires also burned on both sides of the police station as demonstrators pushed down temporary fencing and occupied property at the precinct. Officers fired tear gas from the ground and a rooftop.
The city of Minneapolis on Twitter urged people to “retreat” from the area as a precaution. “We’re hearing unconfirmed reports that gas lines to the Third Precinct have been cut and other explosive materials are in the building.”
Police said late Thursday that no serious injuries had been reported.
Multiple blazes also burned on nearby blocks.
After midnight some demonstrators descended on the Minneapolis Police Department’s 4th Precinct northwest of downtown, where officers stood guard outside.
For the rest of this NBC story, log on to https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/protests-looting-erupt-again-minneapolis-area-following-death-george-floyd-n1216881
