Minneapolis Mayor Frey: ‘There Is No Honor In Burning Down Your City’

Minnesota Mayor Jacob Frey is looking to appeal to those responsible for acts of violence across this city and is asking them to stop.

“We as a city can be so much better than this,” Frey said at an emergency press conference on Saturday morning as riots ravaged his city for four days. “There is no honor in burning down your city. There is no pride in looting local businesses that have become institutions of a neighborhood.”

Watch:

“We as a city can be so much better than this.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks following protests over the death of George Floyd: "There is no honor in burning down your city.” https://t.co/LUqWgsFh0Y pic.twitter.com/oEvYzllSeb

— ABC News (@ABC) May 30, 2020

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced a curfew for the city of Minneapolis, which started on Friday evening and continued through Saturday morning. He urged everyone to remain in their homes as city officials to recover and rebuild.

“Minnesotans, please go home. It’s time to restore peace on our streets and in our neighborhoods,” Walz said in a tweet. “The situation has become dangerous for Minnesotans and first responders.”

Minnesotans, please go home. It’s time to restore peace on our streets and in our neighborhoods. The situation has become dangerous for Minnesotans and first responders.

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) May 30, 2020

ABC News reports Walz continued his remarks in a statement: “Thousands of Minnesotans have expressed their grief and frustration in a peaceful manner. But the unlawful and dangerous actions of others, under the cover of darkness, has caused irreversible pain and damage to our community. This behavior has compromised the safety of bystanders, businesses, lawful demonstrators, and first responders. Now, we come together to restore the peace.”

Minnesotans are asking for and deserve confidence that we can respond to this crisis, and we will. We are continuing to coordinate efforts at the state and local level while accessing resources from across the country to keep our communities safe. I urge for peace at this time.

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) May 30, 2020

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock witnessed similar riots spring up in his city in the aftermath of the Floyd murder. He called the violent protestors “needless, senseless and destructive.”

“Once again, the violent actions of a few are drowning out legitimate calls for justice. Twice today, we had peaceful, successful demonstrations where people expressed their outrage over the death of #GeorgeFloyd,” Hancock said in a statement per CNN.

“We saw them, we heard them, and they respected their cause. Unfortunately, another element with selfish motives and reckless intentions infiltrated tonight’s demonstration and incited violence with homemade explosives, rocks, bottles, graffiti and vandalism,” he continued.

And: “This is not who we are, and calmer heads must prevail. Our police officers have a sworn duty to maintain everyone’s safety – and they will. People are crying out to be heard, but this violent distraction only divides us.”