VIDEO: Raimondo Activates RI National Guard, Looking at Curfew After Violent Riots in Providence
GoLocalProv News Team
VIDEO: Raimondo Activates RI National Guard, Looking at Curfew After Violent Riots in Providence
Raimondo was joined by Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza — who said Tuesday morning he is “opposed to military presence” when asked about his views on having the National Guard in the city — and Attorney General Peter Neronha and Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Jim Manni outside Providence Place Mall Tuesday morning.
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“Today I stand disheartened, dismayed, outraged angry,” said Raimondo. “It was not a protest — what we saw was an organized attack on our community at a time when we are vulnerable. We saw violence, vandalism, looting, and arson. “
“Nearly 70 [protesters] were arrested, and almost all were Rhode Islanders,” said Raimondo. “We saw people who were arriving with flares, gasoline, crowbars who showed up intentionally with weapons to cause destruction and violence to hurt people and destroy our property.”
“I’ve activated the National Guard, we’re looking at other options including a curfew, we know there’s a big protest on Friday — our goal is to keep the people of Rhode Island as safe of possible," she said.
“We are using intelligence and surveillance constantly for the entire state,” said Raimondo.
More developing…