Emails revealed to the StarTribune show that the Minnesota National Guard was ready to deploy in response to the 2020 George Floyd Riots nearly 12 hours before rioters burned the Minneapolis Police Precinct to the ground. Their reporting is based on emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The 2020 riots were sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and involved weeks of severe civil unrest in the Twin Cities. The riots began on May 25th, days before 500 guardsmen were activated in response to the collapse of Minneapolis’ Third Police Precinct on May 28th.

According to emails from the Pentagon, the National Guard was ready to be deployed by 8:30 on May 28th. Police were ordered to surrender Minneapolis’ Third Police Precinct by 10pm that day, allowing it to burn down through the following morning. Only then, did Walz call for the Guard’s help. By the time the guardsmen arrived at 4am, most of the rioters went home and the Third Precinct had been burning for hours.

The StarTribune also reported that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey asked for the Guard to be deployed on May 27th, though Walz “did not say yes.”

Governor Walz’s complete lack of inaction until the last possible minute cost the city of Minneapolis millions of dollars in damages while driving small business owners out of the city (and out of the state). 

If Minnesotans did not flee thanks to restrictive COVID-19 lockdowns, sloppy leadership from Minnesota’s Commander in Chief sure did not encourage people to stay.