An afternoon of peaceful demonstrations across the Twin Cities Sunday was shattered when a tanker truck drove through — or nearly through — a crowd of demonstrators marching on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis.
But apparently, it hit none of them, according to authorities, who were unclear of the driver’s motives as of 8 p.m.
“Not to have a tragedy and many deaths is just an amazing thing,” Gov. Tim Walz said at 7 p.m., a little over an hour after the incident happened.
The driver was mobbed by the crowd, detained for police, who arrested him. After being treated at a hospital for non life-threatening injuries, he was released into to police custody.
The horrifying and chaotic incident was still being investigated as nightfall approached, heralding the third straight night of curfew and highway closures as the metro area and thousands of law enforcement and National Guard personnel braced for whatever the night might bring.
As the sun set and crowds dispersed from a peaceful protest in front of the state Capitol in St. Paul, several hundred previously peaceful protesters in Minneapolis ignored the curfew and marched on a different stretch of I-35W, apparently destined for a police confrontation.
They’re marching on I-35W in Minneapolis by the hundreds #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/YSZ3qYEr2s
— Nick Ferraro (@NFerraroPiPress) June 1, 2020
The area is reeling following a week that witnessed widespread and unchecked violence, looting and fires until Saturday night, when the state’s largest-ever assemblage of law enforcement — a militarized force, really — was aided by widespread curfew compliance and seized control of the streets.
In a pattern that has played out in cities across the nation, the demonstrations followed by escalating violence began after Monday’s death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on him.
ARSONISTS’ CACHES
There were signs that those intent on doing harm — and it’s unclear exactly who they are — would try again Sunday.
Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said authorities continued to discover caches of incendiary materials in vehicles and other places. Some appeared to be days old and were found in areas where fires previously had been set, while others appeared to have been placed within the previous 24 hours. They were associated with a fleet of vehicles, many if not all stolen, that have been stripped of license plates.
Harrington said the pattern speaks to sophisticated planning and coordination.
TRUCK VS. CROWD
TV aerial video and state traffic cameras showed a disturbing and chaotic series of events before 6 p.m. after a large crowd of marchers had taken to I-35W, which was officially closed at 5 p.m.
Absolutely frightening scene on I-35W as a tanker truck drivers through thousands of protesters. @WCCO has live coverage right now! https://t.co/onZsO4D5l5
— Jeff Wagner (@Jeff_Wagner4) May 31, 2020
Harrington said that preliminary reviews of state traffic cameras suggested the driver was already on the highway when crews began closing it. There were no signs the driver ever drove around any barriers, he said.
Authorities initially planned to close the highways later in the evening. However, when throngs of peaceful demonstrators marched from a mostly peaceful event at U.S. Bank Stadium, several thousand headed toward the interstate.
Harrington said that action — by what he estimated were 4,000 to 7,000 people — prompted officials to decide to close the highway earlier than planned to protect the safety of the demonstrators, who were not authorized to march on the interstate.
The 18-wheeler tanker truck drove toward and into the edge of the crowd at what appeared to be swift speed before coming to a halt. The crowd largely appeared to scatter in advance of the truck.
“It was sheer panic,” said Rachel Quinn,a nurse from Minneapolis who was in the crowd when the truck rolled in.
The truck did not appear to swerve or veer toward the crowd as it came to a stop.
The cab was soon mobbed. Video shows the truck then begin to drive forward again with people on its hood and clinging to both sides of the cab. One of them appeared to break the driver’s front window, and the truck stopped came to a stop a second time. That person can be seen breaching the cab through the driver’s front window.
While protestors were taking a knee on I-35 a semi truck driver ran into protestors. The police have arrived macing protestors instead of going after the truck driver. pic.twitter.com/BmqFseSmUJ
— Shade Pratt (@ShadePratt22) May 31, 2020
Immediately following, the crowds fled — or attempted to flee — from the stretch of interstate, which is elevated as it approaches a span over the Mississippi River. Some people could be seen vaulting over guardrails, while others stayed put.
Harrington said authorities didn’t know if the tanker and its content might be hazardous or explosive — or if they were secure. As such, police aggressively cleared the crowd, using chemical irritants and other tactics that have become commonplace lately. The tactic drew criticism from many in the crowd, who noted their demonstration, while civilly disobedient, had been non-violent.
Harrington said it was necessary for their safety and so authorities could reach and secure the tanker truck, which some witnesses told a TV reporter was leaking fuel.
ST. PAUL PROTEST
Some 1,500 people rallied at the Capitol in St. Paul and also took to the interstate afterward, but that event featured none of the horror of the otherwise-similar scene in Minneapolis.
The afternoon protest led to road closures around the Capitol complex and featured some tense moments near the front of the crowd, where police and soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard stood behind a fence they had erected. Around 4 p.m., a contingent of the crowd marched onto the Interstate 94, headed west, and exited at Lexington Avenue.
By 8 p.m., only a few remained at the Capitol.
Satara Strong, Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, says organized March officially dispersed when they got to the State Capitol, and they’re not in charge of this particular action at the fence. That’s organic and they need to be aware. 19 min to curfew. Some organizers nervous. pic.twitter.com/wmeMl6tNJA
— Frederick Melo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) June 1, 2020
Nick Ferraro and Fred Melo contributed to this report.
BREAKING- Truck moves at full speed into a crowd of thousands of demonstrators #GeorgeFloyd #Minnesota @KSTP pic.twitter.com/pUscK8JgFB
— Brett Hoffland (@BrettHoffland) May 31, 2020
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Truck drives through crowd on I-35W in Minneapolis, apparently hitting none. Driver mobbed, arrested, taken to hospital. - The Denver Post
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