'Do they care?' Minneapolis business owner left with nothing after riots calls out city officials for failing to help
A salon owner in Minneapolis has been left with “nothing” after her business was “burned to the ground” in riots after the killing of George Floyd, and she says the city has done nothing to help with her predicament.
“It hurts to know that I have no business. I have nothing,” Fiona Westbrooks told Fox and Friends on Thursday. “I don't even have a styling chair anymore, you know.”
Westbrooks owned Flora’s Hair Designs in north Minneapolis for four decades before it was destroyed in riots on May 29. After hearing that her son’s business was burned by rioters, she checked on the salon and found “everything was all up in a big fire, just a big ball of fire, smoke and fire, and I couldn't believe it.”
The business owner met with the Governor of Minnesota Tim Waltz and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) after the blaze, but said she hasn’t had any contact from them since. “I wish I could hear something from the officials, the city or someone to let me know if they’re going to do anything,” she said, adding, “I'm just left alone. I don't have any help.”
I'm wondering do they care? I have not heard anything so I just feel like I'm just left out, you know, just out in left field here.
The police killing of Floyd sparked major protests and riots in Minneapolis, St Paul and elsewhere in Minnesota and beyond, causing millions in damage to property.
Pawn Shop no more. pic.twitter.com/OrCccJzFXm
— Sophia (Gladiator) Narwitz (@SophNar0747) May 29, 2020
The Star Tribune found that close to 150 buildings were set alight in the city, thousands of businesses were damaged and hundreds of stores were looted, costing business owners thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise. Like Westbrooks, many of those who had their businesses destroyed were minorities.
Also on rt.com ‘Looting & crime stopped DEAD!’ Trump says he saved Minneapolis from destruction by sending in National GuardCub Supermarket opened a tent-like temporary outlet in East Lake Street this week after its store there was badly damaged in the riots.
This is (was?) a Cub Foods. pic.twitter.com/jNmdC6TTNq
— Sophia (Gladiator) Narwitz (@SophNar0747) May 29, 2020
Walz asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for support last week after $500 million worth of damage was caused during the riots. The city also spent nearly $13 million deploying up to 7,000 National Guard members during the unrest, and suffered from a loss of earnings because of Covid-19.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
