Minneapolis learned a lesson. Have we?

The 8 p.m. curfew arrived in Minneapolis, the protestors were on the move, peaceably, according to MSNBC’s Ali Velshi, who was walking with them.

The mayor and governor had withdrawn their earlier claims about a heavy out of town presence.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the curfew passed and the police moved in to clear the streets.

In Philadelphia at the same time, looters had thinned out and police were making some arrests. At last. But around 10 p.m., someone torched a building at 17th and Walnut, risking a catastrophe. 

On CNN, Kamala Harris said she doesn’t condone criminal behavior, “but. . . ,” adding the usual “justice” loophole, while anchor Don Lemon spent most of his time justifying the criminal behavior. 

Wow — MSNBC straighter than CNN tonight.

Curfew in L.A. Will it be enforced? Apparently not. Fires were burning after curfew.

Chicago raised the draw bridges over the Chicago River to pen in protestors. Cops were out in force. 

And now a word of history, because I don’t know how much more of this I can take. 

I remember the riots of the ‘60s, and those were real riots where dozens of blocks were taken out in cities across the nation. Compared to that, this is a pin prick. 

The underlying cause was some form of racism. It was worse then than it is today. I say that because the black middle class is huge today, versus then, and black elected officials blanket America today.

This does not mean there is no racism today.

As I have said before, virtually everyone agrees George Floyd’s death was unwarranted and probably criminal. Arrests should have come faster, but one has come and others will follow. You know that.

There is no dispute that Americans were disturbed and wanted to have their voices heard, and almost everywhere mayors and police chiefs said they would be welcome, if peaceable.

And most were, but, sadly, the peaceful protests were hijacked by criminals who had their own agendas.

That was not protest and no one said it better than a black woman, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Looting a store or torching a post office is a disconnect with the cause, it is a disgrace piled on the same of George Floyd.

The majority of the protestors I saw were on the young side, under 40. I almost get a feeling that this is their moment — that George Floyd is their Rodney King, whose beating by the L.A.P.D. sparked devastating 1992 riots in Los Angeles and incidents of  unrest across the country. 

At 8:48, MSNBC’s Morgan Chesky was moving with Minneapolis protestors who were being pushed back by advancing state police, firing tear gas to keep the crowd moving. 

The only violence is coming from people in uniform, said MSNBC anchor Joshua Johnson, which was stunning, given they were violating the curfew and what had happened in the past few nights.

Minneapolis U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar told CNN “If people truly cared about black  lives they wouldn’t be setting fires risking black lives.”

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, rioters set a couple of police cars on fire, and were throwing objects at cops. After a while, cops started making arrests. 

In Washington, D.C., kept away from the White House, rioters broke windows and torched a car. 

But, you know, I just don’t want another 3 a.m. night.

It looks like Minneapolis learned the lesson — Minnesota Nice won’t work on criminals. Legitimate force does.

Lesson learned. Were you paying attention, Mayor Kenney?