MPR News PM Update
June 4, 2020

Fading clouds tonight, sunny tomorrowShowers and thunderstorms are possible in southern Minnesota tonight. The sun’s back tomorrow, with highs in the upper 60s to the lower 80s across the state. 


‘Get your knee off our necks’: Family, friends remember George Floyd, demand justice. In a fiery eulogy at a memorial service to honor George Floyd in Minneapolis, the Rev. Al Sharpton said what happened to Floyd is symbolic of the long oppression of African Americans. “We could do whatever anybody else could do, but we couldn’t get your knee off our neck. It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, ‘Get your knee off our necks.’”

Many local authorities, including Minneapolis, used tear gas to quell protests. But it is way more dangerous than many think. Tear gas can cause long-term harm, by making people more susceptible to contracting influenza, pneumonia and other illnesses,  ProPublica reports, and it’s even more dangerous in this time of a respiratory pandemic. The chemical agent also seeps into homes, contaminates food, furniture, skin and surfaces, which can hurt those who aren’t the intended targets, including people inside their homes.

Two of 4 officers charged in Floyd’s killing had been on the job for a few days. Bail was set at $1 million each for three ex-Minneapolis officers charged with aiding and abetting in George Floyd’s killing. Two of those officers had only been on the job a few days. The training officer for one was Derek Chauvin, who is now charged with murder in Floyd’s killing.

COVID-19 in Minnesota today: 404 new cases, 29 new deaths reported. Thursday’s new numbers bring the state’s death toll to 1,115, and the total confirmed cases to 26,273. Current hospitalizations were at 512, down 25 from Wednesday while the number of intensive care patients fell by 10, to 244.

 — Jiwon Choi, MPR News
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Photos: George Floyd remembered in Minneapolis
Photos from around Minneapolis show people joining together Thursday to honor George Floyd. His killing has sparked more than a week of peaceful protests demanding justice and widespread unrest in the Twin Cities and across the nation. 

 
Twin Cities black artists need broad community support more than ever
As the Twin Cities wrestles with the killing of George Floyd, structural racism and community devastation, artists will be crucial in articulating a path forward. But black-led arts organizations are chronically underfunded.
 
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Attorney General Barr defends response to protests near the White House
U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Thursday defended the decision to order that protesters be driven back from a park near the White House this week and said extremist groups were involved in sometimes violent demonstrations in the aftermath of George Floyd's death.
 
For Hmong community, George Floyd's death isn't just about black and white
George Floyd's death isn't just a story about a black man and the white cop charged with his murder. Among Asian Americans, the involvement of Hmong officer Tou Thao is stirring a racial debate.
 
Protests turn subdued after new charges in Floyd case
Demonstrations in cities across the U.S. condemning racism and police abuses after the death of George Floyd remained large but had turned notably more subdued on the eve of his Thursday memorial service while prosecutors charged three more police officers and filed a new, tougher charge against the officer at the center of the case.
 
Why is voting by mail (suddenly) controversial? Here's what you need to know
President Trump's warnings of potential fraud don't line up with what elections experts predict or with how most Americans feel about voting by mail. Here are the facts about mail ballots.
 
As rebuilding begins, these volunteers are making sure businesses get the tools they need
Fires and vandalism after the killing of George Floyd have left swaths of Minneapolis in need of repair. While the cleanup, in many cases, began hours after riots subsided, the harder work of rebuilding is just gearing up. In north Minneapolis, a bar and a plant shop have teamed up to help businesses start that process.
 

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