Hood River Police Chief Neal Holste says law enforcement officials chose to err on the side of caution when they chose to make public on Monday that a social media post claimed there would be rioting and looting in Hood River that night. Holste said his department and the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office worked to confirm the legitimacy of the threat, adding thankfully the night ended with no incidents. Holste added there have been questions regarding citizens who arrived downtown openly carrying firearms. He said officers spoke with those individuals about their intentions and emphasized the expectation for the situation to remain peaceful. Holste added the peaceful protest that did take place on Monday afternoon was civil and respectful, and that Hood River law enforcement is also outraged by the incident that took place in Minneapolis. Holste noted they will never condone that type of behavior or recklessness from police officers who have a sworn oath to protect people, and that “our nation is in a state of pain, frustration, and sadness, and we must learn from this.”