After Becoming Focus of Riot Outrage, Target Announces Closure of Over 100 Stores
Target Stores, which had its Minneapolis-area locations looted during riots that erupted there last week in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, is closing more than 100 stores temporarily as rioting breaks out across the country.
The company announced the closings on its website. Target had initially closed more than 170 stores, but allowed some stories to reopen on Sunday.
According to the list on the website Sunday morning, in addition to closing 33 stores in Minnesota, Target is closing 46 stores in California, two in Colorado, two in Georgia, seven in Illinois, one in Michigan, one in New York, eight in Oregon, three in Pennsylvania, and three in Texas.
“We are heartbroken by the death of George Floyd and the pain it is causing communities across the country. At this time, we have made the decision to close a number of our stores. We anticipate most stores will be closed temporarily,” the company said in a statement.
The company noted in its statement that it was concerned about the safety of its employees.
“Our focus will remain on our team members’ safety and helping our community heal,” the statement said.
“We are providing our team members with direct communications updates regarding any store impact where they work. Additionally, team members impacted by store closures will be paid for up to 14 days of scheduled hours during store closures, including COVID-19 premium pay. They will also be able to work at other nearby Target locations.”
Some commenters on Twitter wrote that Target’s losses did not matter.
Is destroying an empty old cop car or looting a target violent compared to police beating people with batons, firing rubber bullets feet from protestors and using tear gas? This is supposed to be a FREE country and people are protesting the injustice and the power structures
— Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata) May 31, 2020
Violence raged across country Saturday in rioting that left a trail of shattered glass and broken communities.
Outside a restaurant downtown Charleston. Employees had to start sticking up for themselves pic.twitter.com/6FEQ0IU5es
— hunter (@pricesright15) May 31, 2020
“It started to feel like everything was going to be OK, and that we were finally getting back to normal. And now this happens, said Heather Greene, who operates a restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina, where what began as a protest Saturday afternoon turned into a looting spree Saturday night, according to the Post and Courier.
On the other side of the country, in Oregon, similar feelings were being expressed.
People breaking windows out of restaurants on 7th in Eugene. People who were leading chants later screaming at them to stop. pic.twitter.com/yGjexIjeUR
— Jordyn Brown (@thejordynbrown) May 30, 2020
In Eugene Oregon, the savagery of the rioting stunned Brittany Quick-Warner, CEO of Eugene’s Chamber of Commerce, according to KVAL.
“I was just in shock. I couldn’t believe this was happening in Eugene, Oregon.
“And I was just so devastated that the protesters that came out, who were rightfully angry, tried to have a peaceful protest, but were completely overtaken by people who wanted to commit crime and be violent,” she said.
In Buffalo, New York, Mayor Byron Brown lashed out at the rioters, according to WBEN.
Firefighters attending to a fire in City Hall right now. Protester threw a flaming object threw the window. @NewsRadio930 pic.twitter.com/0weeFQAsyj
— Brendan Keany (@BrendanKeany) May 31, 2020
“There is no place for breaking windows, for setting vehicles on fire, for pulling people out of cars and beating them,” he said, according to WBEN. “There is no place for violence and vandalism to express your opinion and make your point.”
Brown called out one rioter who threw a flaming object through a City Gall window.
“We have you on camera, you idiot. We’re going to find you and prosecute you to the full extent of the law. So get ready, because we’re coming,” he said.
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