Several Target locations will close temporarily “until further notice” due to violent riots following the death of George Floyd, the company announced Sunday. Target added that employees in the closed store will be paid normally for up to 14 days, and have the opportunity to work at other nearby locations.
“The safety of our team and guests is our top priority. At this time, we are making the decision to adjust store hours or close stores temporarily,” an update from Target read. The Minneapolis Target looted by rioters is among the stores listed as “temporarily closed.”
The statement continued:
We recognize the important role we play in helping our communities shop for the food, medicine and other essentials they need. We apologize for the inconvenience and will reopen our stores on their normally scheduled hours as soon as it is safe to do so.
Stores closed until further notice:
- Broadway Oakland, CA
- Buckhead South Atlanta, GA
- South Loop Chicago, IL
- Lake Street Minneapolis, MN (goal of opening in late 2020)
- Uptown Minneapolis, MN
- Washington Square W Philadelphia, PA
“Additionally, team members impacted by store closures will be paid for up to 14 days of scheduled hours during store closures, including COVID-19 premium pay. They will also be able to work at other nearby Target locations,” the statement continued.
The company also said it was prioritizing the rebuilding of its Lake Street location, near where Floyd died on Monday.
“We appreciate members of the community and our team who have assisted in cleaning in and around that location,” Target noted, adding, “We are now boarding the store up until we can survey the location and begin recovery efforts.”
Thursday, a group of protesters damaged police vehicles outside a Target store in St. Paul, Minnesota, that had recently been looted, Breitbart News reported.
Video footage posted to Twitter showed police officers in riot gear standing outside the store as people chanted and threw objects:
Sunday, Gov. Tim Walz (D) extended the recently implemented curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday.
“We have reason to believe that bad actors continue to infiltrate the rightful protests of George Floyd’s murder, which is why we are extending the curfew by one day,” he wrote in a subsequent tweet.
In a note Friday, Target CEO Brian Cornell said the company’s leaders were working with the community and local officials to identify the needs of those affected by the protests and riots.
“In any of our other locations that are damaged or at risk, the safety and well-being of our team, guests and the surrounding community will continue to be our paramount priority,” he concluded.
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