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Downtown Restaurants Damaged After a Night of Unrest in Minneapolis

Brit’s Pub was damaged by fire, and many more were looted

A handful of Minneapolis police officers in riot gear walk through downtown Minneapolis. A skyway is visible behind them.
Overnight unrest leaves several businesses damaged
Getty Images

Another night of unrest in Minneapolis has left several businesses in downtown damaged, including restaurants and bars already struggling from the coronavirus pandemic.

Tensions erupted after Minneapolis police confronted a murder suspect near the intersection of Eighth Street and Nicollet Mall last night. Video released by the Minneapolis Police Department shows the suspect turning the gun on himself and dying by suicide. The incident sparked simmering tensions in recent days in response to incidents in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where Jacob Blake was shot in the back by police, and a teenager armed with an assault rifle shot three protestors. This adds to the citywide pain over the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, in South Minneapolis. It appears after this gunfire in downtown Minneapolis, misinformation spread implicating the police in the suspect’s death, triggering the unrest.

Brit’s Pub, the restaurant and bar on Nicollet Mall known for summers spent lawn bowling on the upper deck and watching soccer matches, sustained fire damage. WCCO news footage shows the front windows smashed as well as lower-level fire damage. Lotus, the beloved Vietnamese restaurant on West Grant, near Loring Park, was damaged, its front windows smashed and the interior damaged. Haskell’s Liquor’s just off Nicollet on 9th Street was looted before boarding up its front windows. Other downtown restaurants reportedly affected include Devil’s Advocate, Barrio, the Local, the News Room, Hen House Eatery, and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Sushi Train, and Zelo.

Haskell’s liquor store is lit up by a neon sign, as a man bends over the broken glass from the shattered front window, sweeping
Haskell’s was smashed and looted, last night
Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via Getty Images

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry has declared a curfew that has been extended to Wednesday night, beginning at 8 p.m. Gov. Tim Walz activated the National Guard, which are now on site in downtown Minneapolis.

Correction Friday August 28, 8:55 a.m. An earlier version of this article stated the armed teenager in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Kyle Rittenhouse shot two protestors. Three were shot, two have died. An earlier version also indicated Jacob Blake was unarmed. Details now confirm a knife was found on the scene, though not on Mr. Blake’s person. News out of Kenosha, Wisconsin continues to develop.

Brit's Pub & Eating Establishment

1110 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-332-3908 Visit Website

The Local - Downtown

931 Nicollet Mall, , MN 55402 (612) 904-1000 Visit Website

Sushi Train

1200 Nicollet Mall, , MN 55403 (612) 259-8488 Visit Website

Devil's Advocate

1070 Nicollet Mall, , MN 55403 (612) 354-7735 Visit Website

Barrio

925 Nicollet Mall, , MN 55402 (612) 333-9953 Visit Website

The Hen House

3801 Ingraham Street, , CA 92109 (858) 687-5599 Visit Website

Hen House Eatery

114 South 8th Street, , MN 55402 (612) 345-4664 Visit Website

The News Room

990 Nicollet Mall, , MN 55403 (612) 343-0073 Visit Website

Brit's Pub

1110 Nicollet Mall, , MN 55403 (612) 332-3908 Visit Website

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