Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan spoke Thursday about the toppling of the Christopher Columbus statue in St. Paul earlier that day.

Walz said he doesn't condone the actions and there would be consequences for those who toppled the statue, but said no order was issued for law enforcement or other officials to not interfere with protesters. He said, however, that they need to have discussions with the public to understand the motivating factors that led to the tear down of the statue. Walz also said that people cannot compare the statue being taken down by protesters to those looting or burning a store as being comparable.

Flanagan also spoke about the issue and said she would "not shed a tear" over the "loss of a statue" that honoured a man she says oversaw "genocide." She said they need to build a process about artwork, imagery and symbols on and in the Capitol, that is community-driven and transparent.

The protest that led to the tear down of the Columbus statue comes after the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd died of asphyxiation as a result of a white police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes while other officers pinned him to the ground. Floyd's death sparked weeks of global protests against anti-Black racism and police brutality.

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