Trenton is picking up the pieces after officials estimated more than a thousand people rampaged in the downtown area Sunday night, looting businesses and attacking police.
The mayhem came hours after a peaceful protest in the city over the killing of a George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd’s death, captured on video as a police officer kneeled on his neck, has sparked both peaceful protests and violent outbursts in cities around the country in the last week.
Trenton officials estimated property damage at hundreds of thousands of dollars, as vandals smashed store windows, stole merchandise and threw bricks and filled water bottles at police, said city spokesman Michael Walker. Sixty businesses were damaged in all.
At least one police car was torched and other police vehicles were damaged, but no injuries were reported. More than a hundred people were arrested.
New Jersey State Police and officers from neighboring towns responded to assist.
A curfew is in place for 7 p.m. tonight, lasting until 6 a.m. Tuesday. It won’t apply to first responders, essential personnel and those coming home or going to work.
Among the downtown Trenton businesses targeted on Sunday were a sneaker and apparel store, banks, food stores, a pharmacy, cellphone store and other small businesses.
Those involved in the incident were racially and geographically diverse, Walker said, with many coming from outside of the city.
“We believe it was a mix of mostly outsiders who fueled the mayhem, but some of our residents were participants in the violence,” he said.
Firefighters extinguish a vehicle set on fire during a night of violent protests in Trenton.
Walker witnessed the mayhem first-hand.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life,” the 54-year-old remarked.
Trouble extended into neighboring Hamilton Township, where Mayor Jeff Martin reported that police were averaging as many 90 calls an hour last night and continued receiving calls until about 3 a.m.
“There were several arrests made and several buildings that were vandalized, but there did not appear to be any looting,” he said during a noon press conference Monday.
Township police partnered with state police to protect a Walmart, Martin said, “which did not have any incident last night."
One Hamilton officer who assisted police in Trenton on Sunday was injured when he was struck on the head with an object. The officer, who was wearing a helmet, was treated at a hospital and released, Martin said.
Hamilton will also enforce a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew Monday night, he said, adding that other towns in Mercer County may do the same. (Lawrence and Ewing later did so.)
Hamilton officials are coordinating with county and state personnel to prepare for the possibility of more trouble Monday night.
Boarded up Bank of America building after violence last night in Trenton, N.J. June, 1, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for
“At this time, we are preparing for another potential of violence this evening, but hoping that it does not come to that,” Martin said.
Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. to discuss the situation in his city.
“I know for a fact that the mayor is angered by what happened to Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis,” Walker said, “but at the same time, he is equally disturbed at the response because he doesn’t believe that burning down businesses run mostly by hardworking people and attacking police with blunt objects are appropriate ways to express how they feel.”
The young people involved in the rioting in Trenton likely don’t understand the city’s history, he added.
“Trenton is a city that has had a profound impact on the American experience as well as the Civil Rights movement,” Walker said.
Boarded up Bank of America building after violence late night in Trenton, N.J. June, 1, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for
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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
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