Minnesota governor activates National Guard after night of rioting and looting

Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz activated the state's National Guard in order to put down rioting and looting that led to millions of dollars of lost property during the protests against the death of George Floyd.

Walz supported the right of the people to protest for justice while decrying the violence accompanying the demonstrations in his statement on Thursday.

"George Floyd's death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction," said Walz in the announcement.

Minneapolis was rocked with violent protests sparked by the outrage over the death of Floyd while he was being arrested by police. Four police officers have been fired over the incident and are being investigated for possible prosecution.

One person was shot and killed, and numerous structures were burned to the ground or looted in the destructive wake of the protests.

"As governor, I will always defend the right to protest," Walz continued. "It is how we express pain, process tragedy, and create change. That is why I am answering our local leaders' request for Minnesota National Guard assistance to protect peaceful demonstrators, neighbors, and small businesses in Minnesota."

Violence also broke out in Los Angeles, California, during a Black Lives Matter protest for the same cause on Wednesday.

Here's more about the protests:

As heated protests over George Floyd's death continue, Minnesota governor warns of 'extremely da...www.youtube.com