Mall of America postpones reopening due to 'significant unrest in the community'

Minnesota governor calls for calm amid violent protests

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called for calm following protests over the death of George Floyd.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Mall of America, which is located just outside of Minneapolis, said Friday that it has postponed its planned reopening amid unrest in the community following the death of George Floyd.

The country’s largest mall was scheduled to open its retail stores June 1 after closing due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has also suspended curbside pickup.

“Out of an abundance of caution, given the significant unrest in the community, Mall of America has decided to postpone its planned June 1 reopening of retail stores,” Mall of America said in a post on its website.

The company said it will announce a new reopening date as soon as it is confirmed.

847f4b34-Minneapolis Cityscapes And City Views

The north entrance to Mall Of America in Bloomington, Minnesota is shown in a file image taken on Oct. 14, 2018. (Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)

On Thursday, Mall of America ordered all tenants and non-critical team members to leave by 2 p.m. as authorities warned demonstrations and unrest could spread to the Twin Cities suburbs. Rosedale Center, another shopping mall located just outside of Minneapolis, also closed early.

Fires continued to burn Friday in Minneapolis in the third night of violent protests following Floyd's death, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.

Rioters set a Minneapolis police station on fire Thursday night after the department abandoned it. Looting, vandalism and arson were reported throughout the city, with similar unrest in neighboring St. Paul, the state capital.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.