Minneapolis Is Being Burnt By Outsiders Mainly — Donald Trump

After protests in Minneapolis have escalated from peaceful rallies to chaos and pandemonium, US President Donald Trump is supporting the view that the culprits are a very small percentage of locals from Minnesota.

In two tweets, on Saturday, the President said:

“80% of the RIOTERS in Minneapolis last night were from OUT OF STATE. They are harming businesses (especially African American small businesses), homes, and the community of good, hardworking Minneapolis residents who want peace, equality, and to provide for their families.”

And he reminded his 80.7 million followers that:

“Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME! Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests. Thank you!”

His tweets come after the Governor of Minnesota and the mayors in the ‘Twin Cities’ of Minneapolis and Saint Paul have made a similar point that much of the vandalism and looting is not being done by the local Minnesotans.

Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz in a press conference this morning estimated that “around 20 per cent of rioters are from our area, with 80 per cent of people coming into Minnesota”. 

Minneapolis Mayor Frey and Sr Paul Mayor Melvin Carter also acknowledged the damage and destruction to their cities, and both argued that the violent riots do not honour the memory of the late George Floyd.