Small business owner pleads: You can’t allow citizens to be terrorized
Retail stores already sagging under the weight of the prolonged coronavirus lockdown, have been hit hard by looting following the death of George Floyd.
Nationwide protests after the death of Floyd, who died while being arrested as a suspect in passing a fake $20 bill, have turned violent. As a result, retail stores are closing in cities across the country.
The city of Philadelphia ordered retail establishments closed on Sunday afternoon after 200 arrests had been made in the city. Scenes of widespread looting were circulating on social media.
Apple has closed the majority of its stores in the U.S., saying “With the health and safety of our teams in mind, we’ve made the decision to keep a number of our stores in the U.S. closed on Sunday.”
Tweeted Tim Cook, Apple CEO: Minneapolis is grieving for a reason. To paraphrase Dr. King, the negative peace which is the absence of tension is no substitute for the positive peace which is the presence of justice. Justice is how we heal.
The tweet is getting mixed reviews.
Meanwhile, mayor of Birmingham, Randall Woodfin has tweeted: Birmingham, this is not the road to reform. Do not destroy the community you worked to build.
The country has been largely in agreement on death of Floyd, with Republicans and Democrats speaking out about the tragedy. Police in many localities have expressed support for peaceful protests. But authorities have instituted curfews to protect against looting.
“I think what scares me about this is that, usually, they wait until dark and then you see the looting,” L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told KTLA in Los Angeles.
LA arrested hundreds of people for being out after the 4 p.m. curfew.
Big Box retailers and small businesses alike were targeted in overnight looting.
“They broke everything inside. All the cabinets. My cash register is gone. My computer is gone,” said Rocky Mehra, who owns Hubbard & State Cigar Shop in Chicago, adding that thieves got cigars, lighters and cigarettes as well.
Nick Boskovich, owner of an organic juice shop said that it’s “time to let the police do their job. You can’t allow anarchy and citizens to be terrorized.”
The Chicago mayor, Lori Lightfoot, has asked the governor of Illinois to call in the National Guard.
One tweet includes a video of a Target store in broad daylight being looted by white, black and Hispanic people, some with masks on their face, some with no masks. Toys, lamps and rugs can be seen being gathered by looters.
Says the tweet: Social justice looks so much better in 4K HDR. (And much more fun with a nerf gun!)
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