Thread by @Stowydad

In first remarks since Wednesday, @GovTimWalz calls it "the most difficult week in Minnesota" in memory.

"What the world has witnessed since the killing of George Floyd on Monday has been a visceral pain, a community trying to understand who we are and where we go from here."

"The situation on the ground doesn't allow us right now to tackle those issues," Walz says. "We have to restore order to our society before we can start addressing the issues, before we turn back to where we should be spending our energy. Making sure justice is served."

Walz says tools that contributed to anguish are some of the same ones that will be used to restore order.

"I understand there is no trust in many of our communities."

Distinguishes between those expressing appropriate frustration and those tossing fire bombs into buildings.

"We cannot have the looting and the recklessness that went on. We cannot have it because we cannot function as society."

Walz says the decision was made at 12:15 last night to send in Guard members, State Patrol to secure the scene. Officers moved in around 3 a.m.

Walz publicly apologizes to CNN for arresting the crew on scene outside Minneapolis 3rd Precinct.

"I take full responsibility. There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen."

To the press in general, "I failed you last night in that."

"It's time for us to clean our streets. It's time for us to execute the day in a way that shows respect and dignity to the community."

Walz says he's spoken with Hennepin County attorney and is confident there will be "a fair, full and swift" outcome.

Walz says, "I've talked a lot about 'One Minnesota.' That wasn't on display last night."

Now up, @AGEllison.

Ellison urges people to distinguish between police and National Guard presence on the street.

"This is not the group you associate with unfair conduct, but is a group that was just a week ago was trying to make sure Minnesotans could survive" pandemic.

Ellison says he doesn't want Guard viewed as a military occupying force but one that will be out there to restore calm.

Of possible criminal case against officer/s, Ellison says, "The message has been sent and received that the wheels of justice must turn swiftly. Not unjustly. Expeditiously, thoroughly, fairly."

"We're not going to just fix the windows, sweep up the glass," Ellison says. "We're going to fix the broken and shattered society."

Maj Gen. Jon Jensen of the Minnesota National Guard says preparations for the civil disturbance mission began earlier in the week. Soldiers began getting notifications early Thursday.

They were mobilized later in the day on the Walz order.

Jensen says he was hoping to mobilize during daylight, not in the cover of night.

"We never got such mission assignment. We never got such mission description."

Events sped up the deployment overnight when Guard members escorted fire crews.

Then the "law and order" mission.

Jensen says the Guard, working with the State Patrol, was further pushed into duty after midnight for what would "clear and secure mission."

He says the Guard will have a presence in Minneapolis until further notice from the governor.

Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says there is a clear line of demarcation between peaceful protesters and the "arsonists, the thieves, the burglars, the vandals who were tearing apart the city of Minneapolis."

Says State Patrol "will not be deployed to stifle speech."

Harrington also speaks to an absence of a specific mission and a need to pivot on the fly as conditions on the ground devolved.

The change in approach came after midnight, Harrington says.

250 person team sent in.

"We were going to keep the peace and make people safe."

Arrived after 3 am

"We need to keep that ground and prepare for what might come today," DPS Commissioner John Harrington says, describing a multi-agency effort that will "create a plan that will keep the peace, maintain the peace and prevent further lawless behavior."

Col Matt Langer of the Minnesota State Patrol says troopers from across the state have been deployed to Twin Cities for an unknown period of time.

Q: Why didn't you address the public last night?

"I certainly don't think it was important to be on TV."

He says state went from support role to lead role around midnight.

He worked with public safety advisers while at the Residence late into the night/early morning.

Should there have been a stronger Guard presence earlier last night?

Walz: "Potentially."

He says he was deferring to Minneapolis leaders until the situation became untenable.

"Certainly it's a valid critique and point."

Walz says state will be in the lead going forward, but until last night was respecting clear lines between local authorities and state law enforcement/Guard.

"I can't just march my soldiers into Minneapolis and say this is what Jon Jensen believes we need to do," Maj Gen. Jon Jensen adds.

Walz defers to Mayor Jacob Frey on the decision to surrender the 3rd precinct.

He says the scenario was discussed earlier in the day.

Walz seems to suggest he wasn't on board with that decision, but he wasn't entirely clear.

Walz asked if a curfew or other containment measures are under consideration.

"Certainly all those tools are there," he says, declining to say if he'll opt for them.

Walz says he's expecting to decide by 2pm or so on whether there will be public restrictions going into tonight.

"My top priority now is the immediate security to make sure what happened the last 48 hours does not happen tonight," Walz says.

He says there has been "48 hour of anarchy."

There have been arrests on burglary, arson charges but officials can't give a number on how many.

"there have been arrests made and there will be more arrests made," said DPS commissioner John Harrington.

Asked to react to President Trump's tweets, @GovTimWalz says "it's not helpful."

"In the moment where we're at, in a moment we're so volatile, anything we do to add fuel to that fire" is counterproductive, he says.

"Tonight needs to be different," Walz said. "I'm stepping into that breech."

Jensen says National Guard soldiers on the ground ARE armed. He says there have already been credible threats made to Guard members.

Walz authorized having soldiers armed.

Guard "maintains the right to self defense," Jensen says.

CURFEW decision due around 2p, Walz says.

"I'm taking ownership for it. We own it," Walz says of the response moving ahead.

"I can't assure you, but the responsibility if it doesn't happen falls upon me," Gov. Tim Walz says when asked if he can assure that the last few nights won't be repeated tonight and into the weekend.

"None of us can live in a society where roving bands go unchecked and can ruin property," Walz says.