The siege of the Home 2 Suites hotel last night and a story of bravery.
Courage - The capacity to endure, struggle, and act despite facing extreme danger, pain, or death.
8:46pm: Outside of the Home 2 Suites on University Ave in Minneapolis the first video is posted by
FreedomNews.TV and protesters have already blocked the road with trash bins, garbage, and are making a loud racket. Roughly a hundred people are outside of the hotel they believe federal agents are staying at.
9:09pm: Rioters are lighting off fireworks and the crowd is growing. They are blocking traffic and controlling the road. The outside of the building is vandalized, and the crowd is writing, “F*ck ICE" on the windows.
9:19pm: Agitators are attempting to storm the entrance and are met by hotel security. “You got to get out right now.” says a staff member as he tries to lock and bar the doors. Strobe lights, noise makers are constant while the hotel staff pleads with agitators to leave. “All the staff is local, man.”
9:51pm: One lone MPD officer is attempting to assist hotel staff and is barricading the door. Rioters push, shove, and attack the staff to keep the door open. Objects go flying and reporters are hit with glass bottles/ice bottles. “F*ck you!” Rioters scream.
It’s at this moment the rioters attack the outside of the building. Ripping signs off, defacing property, hacking at the structure with shovels. Hotel staff continues to be assaulted. Debris is starting to fill the lobby.
Shortly after, the first windows are shattered. There is still only one police officer present.
Reporter on the ground states, “Doesn’t seem like more police is expected to come.” As the battle for the lobby rages, multiple clashes and confrontations continue.;
Roughly 10:52pm. 3 officers from the Bureau of Prisons arrive. Running down the sidewalk tossing tear gas canisters as they charge into the fray. Explosions go off and all BOP officers head for the front doors. “Get out of our city your pieces of sh*t!” screams one rioter. One person approaches the front and yells, “I am not scared of your pu**y ass!” and he’s immediately hit by a bean bag round. “GET BACK!” Shouts the BOP officer. Clouds of gas envelope the scene. The lone officer is bloodied off camera as he guards the entrance while hotel guests are evacuated. Surrounded by 10 reporters he shouts,
“Where is the local PD?! That’s my question to the press. Where is the local PD?”
“Please, give me some room. It’s me and 30 people. Please, get back.” One press member offers assistance due to his bleeding.
He turns and spits blood onto the ground and maintains his post. “GET BACK!” He bellows to the crowd and provides instructions to his team inside to not bring any guests out the front.
Another officer arrives from inside and maintains the post. It is now almost 11:00pm, and there is no sign of back-up. With bloodied hands, he uses his cell phone to make a call.
“We need you here.”
Roughly 11:04pm the main officer exits the hotel to confront a rioter and an object come in off screen and strikes him in the head.
11:05. More agents can be seen exiting the building and the SRT has arrived in an armored vehicle. A fresh volley of gas canisters is deployed and the scene is cleared. Other officers have arrived and roughly a 100 MPD officers are coming up the road. Mass arrests take place including members of the media.
An announcement comes over the speaker system, “This is the Minneapolis Police Department. You are all under arrest. Sit Down.” Muffled explosions continue and more police arrive.
It is unknown the condition of the officer who sustained injuries or the amount of arrests. Other reporters documented numerous vehicles being destroyed.
These BOP officers charged into danger. They didn’t know the extent of the danger; they didn’t know the size of the crowd; they didn’t care.
They rushed to help when help was needed.
Courage.
Footage from
@BGOnTheScene LIVE
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