Insurance Company Sues Minneapolis for Negligence Over Response to George Floyd Riots

A destroyed building smolders near the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct the day after it was attacked and burned by rioters following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times

An insurance company that covered several businesses destroyed during the George Floyd riots in Minneapolis is suing the city for negligence.

“[George] Floyd’s death sparked several days of protests and civil unrest, which resulted in damage to numerous businesses in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, including damage to the insureds’ businesses,” the lawsuit (pdf) states.

The Illinois Casualty Company (ICC) paid insurance claims of over $5.6 million in damages “caused by the civil unrest,” according to the lawsuit.

The complaint cites an independent report from Hillard Heintze (HH), a safety and security consulting firm. The city contracted with the firm in 2021 to provide an analysis of how the incident was handled, according to Minnesota-based news platform Alpha News.

“The areas and events that Hillard Heintze focused on included civil unrest that occurred at Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) precincts, 911 response to looting, burglary, stabbings, and shootings, and evacuation of the MPD’s 3rd Precinct,” the complaint stated.

According to the HH report, the city suffered from “minimal direction” during the riots, and the community was “dismayed at the lack of leadership and planning from the city and the MPD, and expressed their overall distrust of the city and MPD officials.”

“Specifically, some felt that the mayor’s office showed no leadership and was ‘rudderless,’” the HH report states. “Some indicated that the mayor, governor, and MPD chief were notably absent when people felt they should have been present.”

People walk past the charred remains of a pawn shop destroyed during rioting, in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 3, 2020. Scott Olson/Getty Images

‘The Fall of Minneapolis’

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, media, politicians, and local leaders supported what they called “peaceful protests.”

Liz Collin, a reporter with Alpha News, questioned the narrative surrounding Mr. Floyd’s death in her documentary film “The Fall of Minneapolis,” which examined the original autopsy report in which the local corner said that Mr. Floyd had died of an overdose instead of asphyxiation.

However, the narrative that Mr. Floyd was killed by MPD officer Derek Chauvin, set off a chain of events that cost billions of dollars in damage and has influenced policy decisions in government, business, and education.

Though the city had a well-written emergency operation plan (EOP) on how to respond to civil unrest, the mayor’s office failed to utilize it, the complaint states.

The problem was compounded by the MPD’s failure to respond, the complaint says, which “contributed to many of the struggles.”

“The city failed to capitalize on its training and experience from previous large-scale events to establish a framework for crisis response and guide its actions,” the report said.

The MPD failed to follow “established policies and protocols” in its request for the Minneapolis National Guard (MNG) as the MPD’s 3rd Precinct had been invaded by protestors.

“On May 28, 2020, MNG leadership readied troops for deployment, while MPD leadership worked to develop a detailed plan to present to the MNG for consideration of deployment of its troops,” the complaint says. “The governor approved the plan by executive order late in the afternoon, but the MNG was not deployed until the early morning hours of May 29, 2020.”

During that time, chaos further erupted throughout the city and took its toll on law enforcement, the complaint says.

Protesters gather in front of a burning liquor store near the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 28, 2020. Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images

3rd Precinct Abandoned

“As the level of violence escalated during the evening of May 28, the MPD chief announced a decision to abandon the 3rd Precinct, which occurred at 10:15 p.m.,” the complaint says. “Once the MPD abandoned the 3rd Precinct, rioters set fire to the Precinct building and other buildings in the area.”

This opened the door to more violence and destruction, the complaint says.

“Overall, community members felt that the city had abandoned them, partially regarding the lack of response to vandalism and arson that occurred in areas where protests occurred.”

The complaint, referencing the report, states that it was discovered city leaders not only failed to enact emergency management procedures but also that some city council members were “encouraging people to participate in the protests, even after the protests had become violent.”

The complaint is suing for a count of “Vicarious Liability for Police Officers’ Wrongful Acts,” in addition to negligence.

Businesses closed after riots and looting following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., on July 27, 2020. Meiling Lee/The Epoch Times

‘Politically Driven’

In Ms. Collin’s documentary, former MPD officer Jason Reimer described the riots as like being “in a third-world country.”

“This is the thing that bothered me about government officials is they sat back and let people throw rocks and bricks and firebombs and we’re supposed to just put on a helmet and take that,” he said, later adding that the tactical decision was “politically driven.”

“They were going to use this for a political narrative, and they did,” he said.

In response to The Epoch Times’ request for comment on the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the city of Minneapolis said: “The city has been served with the complaint and is considering its options.”