Grand Rapids protest damage estimated at $448K excluding looting losses

Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids officials are estimating $448,000 in damage was caused during protests over the death of George Floyd that turned violent last weekend.

The estimate is preliminary and is for damage to public and private property, WOOD-TV reported Saturday.

It does not include losses due to looting.

More than 100 businesses in the city were damaged. Seven police vehicles also were set on fire.

Information on the damage was provided by the city assessor’s office and not all the data has been verified, according to WOOD-TV.

The estimate also does not include overtime costs for police and firefighters.

Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss declared a civil emergency. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the National Guard to be deployed to assist with curfew enforcement and property protection.

Demonstrations and unrest spread to cities around the U.S. following Floyd’s May 25 death. A a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into the neck of the handcuffed black man who pleaded for air, even after he stopped moving.