After looting and riots, volunteers help businesses clean up
From California to Pennsylvania, Good Samaritans flock to help businesses clean up from destructive riots and looting
Community-minded residents have come together in cities from Long Beach, California, to Philadelphia to clean up after rioters smashed windows and looted stores over the weekend.
AFL-CIO PRESIDENT: RIOTERS' DAMAGE TO DC HEADQUARTERS 'DISGRACEFUL'
Peaceful protests sparked by the death of George Floyd after he was detained by a white police officer in Minneapolis gave way to violent demonstrations and looting in many major metropolitan areas.
SEE PHOTOS:
Workers and a volunteer clean up damage outside a burned-out clothing store in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)
Many mayors have instituted curfews to crackdown on rioting as local business owners pick up the pieces. Kyle Denis, owner of two Apex Outfitter stores in North Carolina, told FOX Business he supports a curfew but the "damage is done" already at his downtown Raleigh location.
"We were 100 percent looted," Denis said. "Everything’s gone. We came early [Sunday] morning, and we picked up the pieces, cleaned the glass up, boarded everything up."
WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
However, community response has been "amazing," he said.
"I got here at little after sunrise [Sunday] morning, and there was just so many people walking around the city, so many people wanted to help," Denis said. "People’s hearts were broken."
It may take time for damaged businesses to reopen, especially small businesses with limited resources.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Even chain retailers are feeling the pain. A Minneapolis Target store that was looted last week may not reopen until the end of the year.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS