Rioter Fined $12 Million Over George Floyd Riot Damage

A man from Minnesota has been fined US$12 million for his role in a police station fire at a George Floyd protest last year.

Dylan Shakespeare Robinson, a 23-year-old had plead guilty at the end of 2020, to conspiracy to commit arson after being accused of lighting a petrol bomb that was used to burn the Minneapolis Third Precinct HQ of the local police during riots in the city.

Robinson himself reportedly did not throw the petrol bomb but in addition to the $12 million penalty could also face up to four years in prison.

The riots followed the killing during detention of career criminal George Floyd by a police officer.

Speaking after the fine was imposed, acting US Attorney Anders Folk said “On the night of May 28, 2020, Mr. Robinson chose to depart from lawful protest and instead engaged in violence and destruction,” adding “(W)ith today’s sentence, Mr. Robinson is held accountable for his actions.”

Hundreds of rioters on the night attacked the police station.

Robinson’s lawyer meanwhile tried to pass his client off as innocent claiming the fine was only to make the 23-year-old pay for “the other thousand people who participated.”

“Many others, far more culpable than Mr. Robinson, were not identified,” Robinson’s lawyer said.

“He had no role in throwing any Molotov cocktails or constructing any or building any” the lawyer added, making no mention of his client having been identified at the scene by surveillance video.

Lisa Conklin

Lisa is an Eastender from London in her second year in Taipei where she teaches English, and in her spare time writes poetry. She is a practicing vegan and lover of yoga who lives 'off-grid' as much as possible. She is our weekend editor.