Cardi B Defends Minneapolis Riots After George Floyd’s Death: ‘The People Are Left With No Choice’

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Cardi B sparked an intense Twitter debate after sharing footage of a looted Target in Minneapolis. She empathized with people’s frustrations after another unarmed black man’s death, but her stance drew controversy.

As protests across Minneapolis have sparked many debates in America, Cardi B, 27, made it clear whose side she’s on. “They looting in Minnesota and as much as I don’t like this type of violence it is what it is .Too much peaceful marches,too much trending hashtags and NO SOLUTIONS! The people are left with NO CHOICE ,” the Grammy-winning singer tweeted on May 28, which she wrote over a clip of a ransacked Target in Minneapolis. The looting began after an unarmed black man named George Floyd died after being pinned to the ground by a white officer on May 25, despite George pleading that he couldn’t breathe.

The looting has attracted a lot of controversy, especially among right-wing political figures like Tomi Lahren who tweeted, “How does looting, rioting and destroying your OWN community bring justice for anyone?” In response, Cardi clapped back via another tweet, “How does targeting, profilin,beating and murdering black men with no consequence equal serving and protecting? Who’s giving them justice and trust on cops ? Mind your business and eat your salad !” Peaceful protests started at the same intersection where George tragically lost his life, as well as two miles away at Minneapolis’ 3rd Police Precinct Station. However, some protestors damaged “the building’s windows and squad cars and spraying graffiti,” and “police in riot gear eventually confronted them with tear gas and projectiles,” the Chicago Tribune reported. In response, Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz activated the Minnesota National Guard after signing an executive order on Thursday, May 28.

Many fans supported Cardi’s stand. One chose to share a GIF of Martin Luther King Jr. saying, “A riot is the language of the unheard,” while another fan echoed Cardi’s words by writing, “The people are fed up certainly the peaceful protest isn’t doing anything at all.” Elaborating on Cardi’s point, another person wrote, “you’re right this isn’t just about George Floyd; it’s about him and ALL THE OTHER BLACK LIVES LOST! what’s not clicking? literally black people are getting killed left and right and peaceful protests aren’t doing JACK S–T BC THEY ARENT LISTENING.” Right before George died, people had already been mourning the recent senseless losses of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, who were both people of color.

Cardi’s retweet of the Target looting ignited a heated debate. Many others didn’t agree that peaceful protests should turn violent. “I completely support the protest. As a black person in America, our voices need to be heard. But I don’t understand why they need to rob Target. Like, what statement is being made by robbing and destroying a store? Can someone clarify?,” one such person responded to Cardi, and another person wrote, “Sorry Cardi no one will agree. THERE IS NO REASON TO LOOT AT A STORE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS HORRIBLE MURDER. This is called taking ADVANTAGE of a situation. Everyone doing this should be arrested right next to these four cops.”

Although the four cops involved in the arrest of George were terminated from the Minneapolis Police department (which Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Grey announced on May 26), charges have not been pressed. The Department of Justice also revealed that its Civil Rights Division, The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office are “conducting a robust criminal investigation” in a statement on May 28.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is also investigating the “circumstances surrounding an incident during which a man died while being taken into custody by Minneapolis Police Department officers,” which the BCA told HollywoodLife in a statement on May 26. The four officers involved — who have not pleaded guilty to anything, or publicly commented on George’s death — were responding to a complaint of a “forgery in progress” and looking for the reported suspect, per CBS News.