Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz's wife, Gwen, said she rolled down her window during the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots to “smell the burning tires” because she felt it was a “touchstone” moment.
Interview footage of Gwen Waltz talking about the 2020 riots and her response resurfaced online on Tuesday after Vice President Kamala Harris announced the Minnesota governor as her running mate for vice president in 2024. In the interview, which aired on KSTP-TV's “5 Eyewitness News Nightcast” channel, Gwen can be heard talking about the riots and making the choice to “keep her window open” while looters and rioters burned the city. (Related story: Tim Walz turns state into destination for late-term abortions)
“I could smell the tires burning. It was so real. I felt like that was a test of what was going on, so I kept my window open as long as I could,” Gwen Waltz said.
Here's a bizarre clip from an interview with Gwen Waltz, who talks about rolling down her window during the Minneapolis riots to smell the burning tires.
Her daughter also coordinated with the rioters to let them know that the National Guard would not be in operation on certain nights. pic.twitter.com/ityW100Z4y
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) August 6, 2024
Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, Minneapolis was quickly overrun by rioters, many buildings were burned, stores were looted, and the violence continued for three days.
When it became clear that Walz had been selected as Harris' running mate, Republican lawmakers quickly responded: It pointed out Governor Walz on not immediately sending the National Guard to Minneapolis to respond to the violence that was occurring at the time. Walz had previously suggested that protesters needed a place to vent their anger, and argued that calling in the National Guard would only incite more violence. according to To Fox News.
“I want to be clear that there is an argument that the presence of an armed soldier at the scene of a police killing philosophically counts as a catalyst,” Waltz said. Said at that time.
Walz's office and the Harris campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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