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No curfew this weekend for Twin Cities, some troopers begin to leave metro
Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says the state is beginning to wind down emergency operations in the Twin CIties as calm has followed riots last week
Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says the state is beginning to wind down emergency operations in the Twin Cities.
Harrington says the state will remain prepared for any problems through the weekend but begin to wind down.
Harrington says no curfew will be in effect Friday night or for the weekend in Minneapolis or St. Paul. Last weekend, Governor Walz issued an overnight curfew for the cities -- with many suburbs following suit -- to allow for police to clear the streets after four nights of chaos in Minneapolis.
The curfew has remained in effect each night since last Saturday.
Speaking Friday, Harrington said the curfew was over and the state will begin sending troopers -- who were brought in from other parts of Minnesota to help bring control in the metro -- back home.
"We've had a few good nights," said Harrington. "I don't take that for granted because when we first arrived, when the state first moved into to try to help the City of Minneapolis, it didn't seem like good nights were going to come any time soon."
However, Harrington says while no curfews are in place, he is asking residents to keep with the spirit of the curfew and try to stay home at night for the next few nights. The National Guard will remain in place, but the state is also working to demobilize soldiers and also send them back home.
"We have less need right now than when we started," explained Harrington.
As the state winds things down, the federal government has sent in the ATF to help local investigators make arrests in the 135 fires set last week in Minneapolis and St. Paul.