Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins responded to the recent riots, saying that protesters have the right to be angry over George Floyd’s death but that violence is unacceptable.
Jenkins pleaded for peace Thursday after rioters burned down parts of Minneapolis. (RELATED: NBC Bans Reporters From Using The Word ‘Riot’ In Coverage Of Minnesota Riots
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“Today is a sad day for Minneapolis. It’s a sad day for America. It’s a sad day for the world,” Jenkins said. “I want to remind all of the people that are in the streets protesting: you have every absolute right to be angry, to be upset, to be mad, to express your anger. However, you have no right to perpetrate violence and harm on the very communities that you say that you are standing up for.”
“We need peace and calm in our streets, and I am begging you for that calm,” Jenkins continued.
Jenkins also promised to create a “healing space” for those grieving over Floyd’s death.
“We will be working with black community leaders to develop and create a healing space at the site of the third precinct, so that people can grieve, express their concerns, their anger, in a safe and humane way,” Jenkins continued.
Floyd died Monday. Video later surfaced showing police officers pinning Floyd to the ground, with one officer pressing his knee to his neck. (RELATED: New Video Shows Moments Leading Up To George Floyd Being Pinned On The Ground)
The Minneapolis Police Department has since fired the officers involved. Floyd’s family has reportedly called for murder charges to be filed. Mayor Jacob Frey asked Wednesday that the Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman press charges against the officer allegedly responsible for Floyd’s death.
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he had ordered the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate Floyd’s death, calling for the process to be “expedited.”