Vietnamese Restaurant Owner Decries 'Heartbreaking' Vandalism

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Lotus Restaurant was one of the dozens of businesses damaged by vandals Wednesday night in Minneapolis. Violence began in downtown but spread into the Loring Park neighborhood, where the Lotus is located.

"Watching looters bust down our family restaurant is so heartbreaking," Yoom Nguyen, the owner, wrote on Facebook. "Senseless, they’re doing it while laughing and smirking."

In addition to the emotional trauma, Nguyen also discussed the financial implications of vandalism:

Civil unrest sparked by misinformation

Vandalism Wednesday night began after a man killed himself. There were unsubstantiated claims made on social media that police fatally shot the man.

Gov. Tim Walz declared a peacetime state of emergency in Minneapolis and deployed the Minnesota State Patrol and National Guard in response to "unlawful and dangerous looting and violence" downtown.

Troopers and Minnesota Department of Conservation officers arrested 33 people overnight.

Read more: Misinformation Leads To Violence, Vandalism In Minneapolis