I've compiled a few of the many articles and tweets that showcase Somali Americans both guarding and protecting Minnesota against looters and rioters. Despite there being numerous examples, Somali Americans have been unjustifiably called instigators on social media.
You can help by either sharing these or adding other articles, videos, tweets, etc. that discuss Somali Americans helping their communities. Spread the good word of the "Rooftop Somalis"!
Somali Americans patrolling their neighborhoods at night against rioters:
Somali Americans chase away an attempted arsonist at the Karmel Mall in South Minneapolis:
This event has been highlighted in various news articles, for example:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/...n-minneapolis-neighborhoods-defend-themselves
"Minneapolis has the largest Somali community in the United States. Abdi said his businesses remained intact thanks to a group of two dozen friends and customers who also stood watch all night and shooed off groups off vandals".
Here's the link for the news article in question:
https://in.reuters.com/article/minn...rocer-pleads-to-save-his-stores-idINKBN23702C
The Streetside Somalis include both the young and the old:
"At the Karmel Mall, a shopping center off Lake Street that predominantly serves the Somali community, a viral video showed shoppers, including many women, chase away a group of white men. At night, security guards from the community stood guard, asking small groups of protesters who approached to go the other way. Somali youth vetted journalists who approached on Google, matching their publications with previous work online before they would agree to speak*."*
Link to news article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...1b5836-a380-11ea-bb20-ebf0921f3bbd_story.html
Here's an example of a journalist vetted by Somali Americans, Jared Goyette:
This event was also featured in the news:
https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/...usiness-owners-guarded-homes-and-storefronts/
About 80 percent of looters/rioters that have been arrested so far hail outside the state of Minnesota.
Source: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05...-rioting-looting-and-violence-in-twin-cities/
As such, Somali Americans have taken the necessary counter measures:
"In the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, young men from the Somali community barred entry into the area around residential towers in an effort to protect it".
Here's the articles in which this quote originated from: https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/...usiness-owners-guarded-homes-and-storefronts/
Somali Americans were also involved in the cleanup of the city of Minneapolis following the initial riots:
"Sarura Yerro, center, and others take a break from helping clear water from the interior of a Wells Fargo Bank in Minneapolis, Minn., that was destroyed the night before during protests against the death of George Floyd and police brutality, on Saturday, May 30, 2020."
"In Cedar Riverside, Somali-American residents stood watch on the streets*."*
Here's the link to the reference article:
https://www.bizjournals.com/twincit...apolis-protest-violence-roundup-saturday.html
Somalis are also helping community members gain funds to repair damages:
"Safia, a Somali immigrant, opened the restaurant in December 2018* with her retirement savings. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, she closed the restaurant and had to choose between paying for insurance and paying staff. So Safia chose her staff. That means there are no funds to rebuild. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family."
Link to article:
Her store was burned down because of the looting, but through the help of a Somali women she has currently received nearly $200,000 in donations on GoFundMe. I've attached the GoFundMe bellow:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-mama-safias-kitchen
Somali Americans are also donating food:
"Ali said she was proud to see Somali businesses supporting the demonstrations, donating food and supplies to help protesters survive.
If you see one eating a banana, she said, there's a good chance it was donated by a Somali business. "Somalis are known for their bananas," Ali said, chuckling."
Here's the link to the article:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/...s-somali-community-rallies-over-floyd-killing
Many of you might think that the police are enough to protect the residents and stores in the United States. That is indeed the case for most communities, but local law enforcement is not doing enough to protect Somalis. As such, Somali Americans must protect themselves!
"Hesen Shire, owner of West Bank Furniture, said he hasn’t seen any law enforcement along Cedar Avenue where businesses — many Somali-owned — are boarded up. He has called police but no one has come, he said."
Here's the link to the original article:
https://www.startribune.com/minneap...ds-from-little-earth-to-longfellow/570910552/
"In fact, working class people, especially people of colour, have been most effective at stopping vigilante violence*. For example, when a sketchy looking person was seen trying to start fires at a Somali mall,* the Somali community organised to confront him while the police and National Guard ignored reports*."*
Here's the link to the reference article:
https://thesocialist.org.au/mass-action-justice-georgefloyd/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Somalia/comments/gv9uyn/meet_the_pals_of_the_roof_koreans_the_streetside/
You can help by either sharing these or adding other articles, videos, tweets, etc. that discuss Somali Americans helping their communities. Spread the good word of the "Rooftop Somalis"!
Somali Americans patrolling their neighborhoods at night against rioters:
Somali Americans chase away an attempted arsonist at the Karmel Mall in South Minneapolis:
This event has been highlighted in various news articles, for example:
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/...n-minneapolis-neighborhoods-defend-themselves
"Minneapolis has the largest Somali community in the United States. Abdi said his businesses remained intact thanks to a group of two dozen friends and customers who also stood watch all night and shooed off groups off vandals".
Here's the link for the news article in question:
https://in.reuters.com/article/minn...rocer-pleads-to-save-his-stores-idINKBN23702C
The Streetside Somalis include both the young and the old:
"At the Karmel Mall, a shopping center off Lake Street that predominantly serves the Somali community, a viral video showed shoppers, including many women, chase away a group of white men. At night, security guards from the community stood guard, asking small groups of protesters who approached to go the other way. Somali youth vetted journalists who approached on Google, matching their publications with previous work online before they would agree to speak*."*
Link to news article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...1b5836-a380-11ea-bb20-ebf0921f3bbd_story.html
Here's an example of a journalist vetted by Somali Americans, Jared Goyette:
This event was also featured in the news:
https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/...usiness-owners-guarded-homes-and-storefronts/
About 80 percent of looters/rioters that have been arrested so far hail outside the state of Minnesota.
Source: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05...-rioting-looting-and-violence-in-twin-cities/
As such, Somali Americans have taken the necessary counter measures:
"In the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, young men from the Somali community barred entry into the area around residential towers in an effort to protect it".
Here's the articles in which this quote originated from: https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/...usiness-owners-guarded-homes-and-storefronts/
Somali Americans were also involved in the cleanup of the city of Minneapolis following the initial riots:
"Sarura Yerro, center, and others take a break from helping clear water from the interior of a Wells Fargo Bank in Minneapolis, Minn., that was destroyed the night before during protests against the death of George Floyd and police brutality, on Saturday, May 30, 2020."
"In Cedar Riverside, Somali-American residents stood watch on the streets*."*
Here's the link to the reference article:
https://www.bizjournals.com/twincit...apolis-protest-violence-roundup-saturday.html
Somalis are also helping community members gain funds to repair damages:
"Safia, a Somali immigrant, opened the restaurant in December 2018* with her retirement savings. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, she closed the restaurant and had to choose between paying for insurance and paying staff. So Safia chose her staff. That means there are no funds to rebuild. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family."
Link to article:
Her store was burned down because of the looting, but through the help of a Somali women she has currently received nearly $200,000 in donations on GoFundMe. I've attached the GoFundMe bellow:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-mama-safias-kitchen
Somali Americans are also donating food:
"Ali said she was proud to see Somali businesses supporting the demonstrations, donating food and supplies to help protesters survive.
If you see one eating a banana, she said, there's a good chance it was donated by a Somali business. "Somalis are known for their bananas," Ali said, chuckling."
Here's the link to the article:
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/...s-somali-community-rallies-over-floyd-killing
Many of you might think that the police are enough to protect the residents and stores in the United States. That is indeed the case for most communities, but local law enforcement is not doing enough to protect Somalis. As such, Somali Americans must protect themselves!
"Hesen Shire, owner of West Bank Furniture, said he hasn’t seen any law enforcement along Cedar Avenue where businesses — many Somali-owned — are boarded up. He has called police but no one has come, he said."
Here's the link to the original article:
https://www.startribune.com/minneap...ds-from-little-earth-to-longfellow/570910552/
"In fact, working class people, especially people of colour, have been most effective at stopping vigilante violence*. For example, when a sketchy looking person was seen trying to start fires at a Somali mall,* the Somali community organised to confront him while the police and National Guard ignored reports*."*
Here's the link to the reference article:
https://thesocialist.org.au/mass-action-justice-georgefloyd/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Somalia/comments/gv9uyn/meet_the_pals_of_the_roof_koreans_the_streetside/
