Governor Walz’s Record on 2020 Protests & Policing

Governor Walz has come under fire from the right for his response to the 2020 protests in Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd. Despite Trump’s initial praise in 2020 for how Walz handled the protests, Trump and his allies are now accusing Walz of waiting too long to deploy the Minnesota National Guard and “letting Minneapolis burn.” The truth is that Governor Walz was facing an unprecedented and evolving situation, and he did his best to respond in the moment to keep all residents of the city and his state safe.

Here are some facts to help push back on these attacks:

On the Protests

• The 2020 protests in Minneapolis were unprecedented and quickly evolving, escalating over just a few days. George Floyd had just been murdered by police officers, and people were hurting and wanting to exercise their right to protest. This was all compounded by the underlying unrest from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Governor Walz encouraged residents to express their first amendment rights and warned against the use of violence.
• What started as peaceful protests were hijacked by some as an excuse to riot and loot. Governor Walz was asked to fully deploy the Minnesota National Guard, something that hadn’t been done since World War II. Deploying the Guard isn’t immediate; it takes time as most members are part time and live across the state. There was no playbook for how to handle this situation.
• When it became clear to Governor Walz the direction the protests were taking, he decided to deploy the National Guard. Hindsight is 20/20, but Governor Walz did the best he could in the moment with the situation he was facing.

On Crime & Policing

• Governor Walz has a strong record on crime and policing.
• In 2022, Minnesota had the 12^th lowest murder rate in the country, less than half the national average. The murder rate in JD Vance’s Ohio was more than two times higher than Minnesota’s.
• Crime in Minnesota continues to fall under Governor Walz, with crime in 2023 down in every major category.
• During his time running for Congress and Governor, Walz was endorsed by the National Association of Police Organizations and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers. He believes in responsible community policing.
• After Floyd’s murder, Walz opposed the Minneapolis ballot initiative to defund the police department, instead opting for solutions that improved police accountability and invested in public safety.
• He worked across the aisle to pass the bipartisan Minnesota Police Accountability Act, which strengthened transparency measures and banned the use of chokeholds. He used $15 million from the American Rescue Plan to fund public safety and crime prevention programs and oversaw the passage of a $300 million bipartisan public safety package for local governments.
• Governor Walz is serious about keeping communities and families in Minnesota safe and will bring that same passion for all communities across America.