RIOT LOG - THURSDAY - Precinct 3 Burns

[dreamshark]

 THIRD PRECINCT HOUSE BURNED ALONG WITH MOST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

More buildings were burning, not sure of sequence. About 10pm the rioters breached the precinct station and started burning it. The police evacuated the building (at Mayor Frey's direction) and just let it burn. In fact, all first responders abandoned the entire area at this point and let it all burn. Some National Guard had been mobilized by this point, but apparently hadn't been given clear direction by the governor and mayor on exactly what they were supposed to do, so they did pretty much nothing that night. Which was terrifying at the time, but in retrospect I am glad that the National Guard has been professionalized so thoroughly since the days of Kent State and the Berkely People's Park. They do not think it is their decision to simply march into a community and establish military law - they wait for specific and lawful direction from local authorities. Apparently "Help, our city is on fire, come save us!" is not a sufficiently clear mission statement.  

 

 

THURSDAY EVENING - my personal report

Nothing much happening on my side of town. We were glued to live TV reports watching my old neighborhood (Minnehaha/Lake intersection) burn to the ground. Well, not the whole neighborhood, just the main commercial intersection - the stores where I used to shop. It sounds like the historic and beautiful old firehouse (currently Hook and Ladder Theater) may have survived. That's where Richard attended his first "happening," leading to the Richard we all know and love. We thought we saw flames in the windows, but that must have just been reflections from the 3rd Precinct House next door. The Hub Bike Shop where we bought Richard's super-low rise bike is the next building down - listed as "damaged" but we still don't know how badly. The East Lake Library that we used to walk to with our toddlers is reportedly damaged but still standing - again we don't know how badly. But I'm pretty sure I saw the old Podany Building (where we bought office chairs and took group dance classes) engulfed in flames. Haven't been over there, but it looks like pretty much every store, gathering place, and service center for that neighborhood is gone, at least for now. It's difficult to process. Over the years I've grown used to confusing scenes of rioting and blazing infernos, but have never seen those scenes superimposed on familiar and beloved landmarks.