WATCH: Police Protect St. Paul Midway Target Store as Crowd Gathers

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Videos showed police were lined up protecting a Target store in St. Paul, Minnesota, as a crowd gathered outside of it. The tense situation came after a different Target store was ransacked on the evening of May 27, 2020 as unrest grew over the death of George Floyd.

You can see videos from the scene throughout this article. The situation was just starting to unfold. “St. Paul police have responded to a large groups of people running inside the Midway Target on Thursday, attempting to overtake the store. Video on social media shows other stores in the area being looted,” CBS Minnesota wrote on Twitter.

Squad cars were being targeted.

Businesses were damaged, burned, and looted throughout nearby Minneapolis on the evening of May 27. Fire officials there said they responded to 16 structure fires on the evening of May 27, 2020 as unrest erupted in the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, over the death of George Floyd. Read about Floyd’s life and death here. A viral video showed a Minneapolis police officer retraining him with a knee pressed against the neck. Floyd later died, four officers were fired, and a federal investigation is underway.

Other businesses were looted but not burned throughout Minneapolis. Damaged businesses included a Cub Food store, and smaller businesses like Town Talk Diner. You can see photos and videos from the Minneapolis unrest here.

However, businesses ended up the target of people’s anger.

“On my way to the midway target to f*ck sh*t up if anyone wants to join,” wrote one man on Twitter.

Here’s what you need to know:


St. Paul Police Wrote That People Were Throwing Rocks & Bottles at Officers

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The St. Paul Police Department wrote, “Officers are having rocks, liquor bottles and bricks thrown at them in the area of the Target on University Avenue. We are working to peacefully get the crowd to disperse. Squad cars have been damaged by rocks, bricks, bottles and other items being thrown at officers. More dispersal orders being given by officers.”

Police also wrote, “Officers are giving dispersal orders to groups gathered in various areas of the city, damaging property and attempting to steal from businesses. Affected areas: near the 1400 block of University Ave, at an East Side business on the 1700 block of Suburban Ave. and more.”

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Dramatic videos emerged earlier showing the looting at a Minneapolis Target. Thus, police in St. Paul were taking no chances. Some people were very unhappy that people upset about Floyd’s death were focusing on Target stores. They included Dianne Binns. “Diane Binns, 70, of St. Paul is angry at the people here. Binns came here to get medication for her daughter,” wrote Ricardo Lopez, of the MNReformer, on Twitter. Binns was NAACP branch president, an old profile on her says.

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Dave Orrick, a St. Paul Pioneer Press reporter, wrote on Twitter around 2:30 p.m., “So I’ve been at the scene in front of Super Target in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood since around 12:30. It’s been gradually escalating/ degrading.” He shared a photo showing a squad car at the scene with a busted out back window.

“I’m seriously getting nervous now. I was sad/upset before now I’m scared for my safety,” wrote one woman on Twitter.

There were also reports that people at the Target store had started throwing carts.

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