Cleanup Begins to Downtown Indy Businesses Following Vandalism

Many businesses in downtown Indianapolis were damaged following rioting and vandalism.

Peaceful protests planned over police-involved killings of black men and women nationwide, including Indianapolis, turned chaotic over the weekend.

Downtown Indy is a nonprofit that develops, manages and markets downtown Indianapolis. 
VP of Marketing and Communications Bob Schultz says the destruction and violence spread to all corners of downtown-- impacting scores of businesses and properties.

"Current count is 112 businesses that had been damaged throughout downtown, mostly surrounding monument circle and going down Pennsylvania, south  Meridian, West Washington but all the way up to Mass Ave as well, down to Circle Centre and beyond," says Schultz.

Shultz says it was already a fragile situation, for many businesses, because of the COVID-19 stay at home order.

"These businesses, many of whom were just about to open again and now are boarded up and there is true devastation there," Shultz says.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the city’s most famous landmark, was vandalized.

"That Monument stands for those freedoms of assembly, but when it turns to destruction and violence, that’s when we all have to take a step back and say -- what has led to this situation," says Schultz.

Meanwhile, Shultz says many businesses are left wondering if the violence is over.

"That is the question that every business owner is asking -- do we just keep it boarded up and hope that this wave has passed and can we move toward recovery," he says.