'Remarkable': Minn. sports bar raises over $1M to rebuild after looting, destruction during riots
A small business that was destroyed during the riots that broke out after the killing of George Floyd last week has raised over $1 million in crowdfunding to rebuild.
In the wake of George Floyd's death last week — the bystander cellphone-captured footage of which went viral — protests and riots broke out in Minneapolis and around the country, in which many small businesses were destroyed.
A GoFundMe campaign that KB Balla, owner of Scores Sports Bar, set up last week rocketed around the internet, and as of Tuesday he had received contributions from approximately 34,000 people around the world with a total surpassing $1 million, an average of around $30 per donation.
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Through tears Balla had given a local TV interview in the aftermath of the riots, explaining how looters destroyed the business into which he had invested his life savings. The news outlet captured footage of vandals attempting to steal the safe in his business while Balla was being interviewed.
"I don't know what we're going to do. We have worked so hard to get here. So hard," Balla said in the interview, a clip which ended up going viral.
In light of the outpouring of support, Balla, who is also a firefighter with the Brooklyn Center Fire Department, expressed how moved he has been to see the generosity extended to him.
"This has been such an eye-opening experience. The world has poured into me and my family to support our business. At the same time being a resident of Minnesota and member of the community we have to do our part. It has been remarkable that even through our grief we have found ways to comfort and support each other," the business owner sad in a Monday update on his GoFundMe page.
The Christian Post reached out to Balla for further comment and will update this article if one is received.
Balla is married and has four kids. His sports bar was new and was set to have its grand opening but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The family of George Floyd is condemning the violence that has broken out nationwide after his death.
"[S]ometimes I get angry, I want to bust some heads, too," said Terrence Floyd, brother of George, in an ABC News interview on Sunday night.
"I wanna ... just go crazy. But I'm here. My brother wasn't about that. My brother was about peace. You'll hear a lot of people say he was a gentle giant."
