States around the country ratcheted up their response to demonstrations protesting the death of George Floyd on Saturday, using force as some gatherings escalated into violence.
The killing of Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man who died after being pinned to the ground during an arrest by Minneapolis police on Monday, sparked nationwide protests this week as anger over the treatment of black Americans by the country’s law enforcement and justice system continues to intensify.
As Saturday afternoon became Saturday evening, several state governors mobilized their national guards, and some of the country’s biggest cities issued curfews for its residents.
Minnesota in particular armored up for an anticipated night of upheaval and unrest.
The Pentagon announced Saturday that it was electing to place select military units on a four-hour recall status, should Gov. Tim Walz (D) require additional reinforcements to contain demonstrations in the state.
“The Secretary of Defense and the Chairman have personally spoken with Governor Walz twice in the last 24-hours and expressed the department’s readiness to provide support to local and state authorities as requested,” Department of Defense spokesperson Jonathan Rath Hoffman said in a statement.
The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) tweeted earlier on Saturday that it’s force would be “tripled.”
In addition, Walz urged Minnesotans to stay home.
But despite warnings from state officials, bystander footage captured by CNN reporter Omar Jimenez minutes before Minneapolis’s 8 p.m. curfew still showed a large crowd of protestors gathered on the streets of the city.
15 minutes to curfew in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/EMpdwA0oA8
— Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) May 31, 2020
Shortly afterward, reports of authorities throwing tear gas at crowds unprovoked began to circulate.
LA Times reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske tweeted that the Minnesota State Patrol “just fired tear gas at reporters and photographers at point blank range.”
NBC News correspondent Morgan Chesky was reporting live when an explosive thrown by law officials went off next to him.
WATCH: @BreakingChesky reports from Minneapolis as police fire flash bangs.
"Law enforcement tonight, not taking any chances." pic.twitter.com/atuEfFvBpX
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 31, 2020
In Nashville, protesters set ablaze the city’s historic city hall, prompting Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) to mobilize the state’s National Guard.
BREAKING: they’ve set fire to Nashville’s city hall. It’s just in a window right now pic.twitter.com/DL2A7Kncyj
— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) May 31, 2020
At the request of Mayor Cooper, I am authorizing the National Guard to mobilize in response to protests that have now taken a violent, unlawful turn in Nashville.
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) May 31, 2020
In New York, two NYPD vehicles lurched towards a crowd of protestors Saturday evening, with one of the cruisers forcefully pushing its way through the crowd.
Footage of the scene drew ire from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)
“NO ONE gets to slam an SUV through a crowd of human beings,” she tweeted. “@NYCMayor these officers need to be brought to justice, not dismissed w/’internal reviews.’
NYPD officers just drove an SUV into a crowd of human beings. They could‘ve killed them, &we don’t know how many they injured.
NO ONE gets to slam an SUV through a crowd of human beings.@NYCMayor these officers need to be brought to justice, not dismissed w/“internal reviews.” https://t.co/oIaBShSC1S
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 31, 2020
Another tweet from earlier in the afternoon showed a NYPD officer pepper spray a protestor who had his hands up, pulling the protestor’s mask off before spraying him.
This boy had his hands up when an NYPD ofcr pulled his mask down and pepper sprayed him. @NYPDShea? Mayor @BilldeBlasio? pic.twitter.com/YtXDOoVckA
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) May 31, 2020
Saturday marks the fifth night of protests that have erupted over the killing of Floyd.