A 22 year old woman named Alexandria has been charged after police say she went on Facebook Live and urged followers to loot and destroy businesses during a protest in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is charged with inciting a riot and malicious destruction of property. These are allegations, and she has not been convicted.
According to her arrest affidavit, Alexandria can be heard on the video telling followers to throw bricks and other objects at business windows. MLive reports that police have video of her kicking in a store window, and that she can be heard encouraging people to break into an ATM. The affidavit also describes her with a group at a jewelry store where a glass display was shattered, and says the group later took beer from Mojo’s Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant and photographed themselves.
The affidavit says she could be heard telling a friend to get her a gold bracelet because she already had silver ones. Authorities say she later posted a video wearing stolen clothing and that a stolen shirt was found in her home.
On Saturday, around 100 businesses in downtown Grand Rapids were looted, seven police vehicles were set on fire, and several dumpster fires spread to nearby structures. Police say seven people were arrested during the unrest, but only two are currently facing charges, and Alexandria is one of them. If convicted, she could face up to 15 years in prison. A response from her was not available at the time of publication.
