- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said early Saturday that the state would activate its entire
National Guard for the first time in history to respond to violentprotests over the death of George Floyd. - Walz's announcement came after violent protests spread across US cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta.
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in Atlanta to activate at least 500 additional authorities from the state's National Guard.
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Bashear warned in a video statement released early Saturday that Louisville was preparing for similarly violent protests for Breonna Taylor, an African American woman who died in her home after being shot at least eight times by Louisville Metro Police in March.
- Beshear said in the video that though protests over her death started peacefully, he was requesting additional help for Saturday night when "intelligence" believed protests would turn violent and become overwhelmed by "outside groups."
Members of the National Guard arrived in several cities after violent protests raged across the country in response to a white officer who kneeled on the neck of George Floyd, a black Minnesota man, for eight minutes while taking him into custody shortly before Floyd was declared dead.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said on Saturday morning that the state would activate its entire National Guard. Walz previously said overnight that an additional 1,000 National Guard authorities planned to respond on Saturday made it the largest in the state's history and three times larger than that used during race riots in the 1960s, St. Paul's KSTP reported.
—MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) May 30, 2020
On Thursday, 500 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated before another 200 were activated Friday night, the National Guard told KSTP.
"Our great cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are under assault," Walz said Saturday morning, WCCO reported. "The situation in Minneapolis is now about attacking civil society, instilling fear, and disrupting our great city."
Walz's response joins other Saturday morning announcements from governors facing protests like Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who declared a state of emergency in Fulton County in Atlanta, Georgia, and activated at least 500 additional authorities from the state's National Guard following fiery riots throughout Friday.
Protestors responding to Floyd's death also clashed with police in cities including Los Angeles, New York City, and San Jose, California through Friday and into Saturday. The protests saw vandalism, looting, and injured protestors who carried signs and chanted slogans before many dodged rubber bullets and tear gas launched by police.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Bashear warned in a video statement released early Saturday that Louisville was preparing for similarly violent protests for Breonna Taylor, an African American woman who died in her home after being shot at least eight times by Louisville Metro Police in March.
The officers were executing a "no-knock" search warrant related to a narcotics investigation. Taylor's boyfriend shot when neighbors and friends would later say that the officers didn't identify themselves before shooting back into the home. The officers ultimately didn't recover drugs from the home.
Beshear said in the video that though protests over her death started peacefully, he was requesting additional help for Saturday night, when "intelligence" believed protests would turn violent and be overwhelmed by "outside groups."
"We cannot let Breonna's legacy be marred by violence and we can't let our streets turn violent," the governor said. "So today I am taking a step to ensure the safety of everybody by calling up the national guard to help keep peace in Louisville."
Beshear said calling in the authorities is a "big step and a tough step" that is not intended to "silence any voice," and he pledged to "listen and do everything I can to help moving forward."
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