ST. PAUL – State Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, on Friday issued the following statement regarding Monday’s death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests and riots that have taken place in the Twin Cities area:
“The death of George Floyd is heartbreaking on many levels and it has brought some festering societal issues to the surface,” Demuth said. “We all see issues through the lens of our own real-world experiences and this week’s developments really hit home for me as a mixed-race woman who spent most of my teen-age years living just south of downtown Minneapolis, an area that was ravaged this week. I hope long-term improvements in relations can be drawn from well-intending protesters who have worked to raise awareness to ugly racial disparities that remain in today’s society. It is frustrating to know the rioting and looting that subsequently has taken place is corrupting the message and criminal actions are causing our focus to shift from the heart of the matter. Minnesotans are counting on strong leadership to help us through these trying times, but clear direction has been glaringly absent at both the state and city levels. We all need to do better and it starts with officials taking immediate steps toward halting the rioting so we may begin the healing process and return our focus to addressing societal ailments that divide us.”
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