PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — Gov. Kristi Noem held a news conference late tonight about the violent protests in Sioux Falls.
She said 70 members of the South Dakota Army Guard and 26 members of the S.D. Air Guard had been activated and were in Sioux Falls assisting local police in attempting to quell violence at the Empire Mall.
The Guard is also providing security for downtown Sioux Falls and other parts of the city if needed.
About 9:30 p.m., what had been a peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police turned violent. The protest had been permitted for VanEps Park, the Minnehaha County Courthouse, and the joint Law Enforcement Center.
However, a sizeable number of protesters proceeded to march south across the city to the Sioux Empire Mall.
There looting and violence broke out.
Noem says the Guard is on standby and will assist other communities in the state if needed.
She said the units deployed to Sioux Falls are security and military police.
Noem says she’s not expecting violence to pour over into other communities but she said the state “is ready” if it does.
Click above to listen to her news conference.
