/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/1216828380/0x0.jpg?w=1920&resize=1920,0&ssl=1)
TOPLINE
With peaceful daytime protests over the death of George Floyd often devolving into riots and looting at night, some cities have instituted curfews to try to maintain order.
Riot police line up facing protestors near the White House on June 1, 2020 as demonstrations against … [+]
AFP via Getty Images
KEY FACTS
Minneapolis and St. Paul, the epicenter of the protests where demonstrators burned down a police precinct on Thursday, initially put in place an 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew, which has since been reduced to 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced an 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. curfew in New York City and a doubling of police on duty Monday night from 4,000 to 8,000.
Louisville instituted a 9:00 p.m. curfew on Saturday following some of the most violent protests outside of Minneapolis, with seven injured by gunfire on Thursday and one killed early Monday morning.
Philadelphia put a 6:00 p.m. curfew in place on Saturday, which has been extended until Tuesday after heavy looting and rioting on Sunday.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a 9:00 p.m. curfew on Saturday.
Los Angeles has a county-wide curfew of 6:00 p.m. in place, with Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Long Beach all instituting 4:00 p.m. curfews in their business districts.
Washington, D.C., has a 7:00 p.m. curfew which President Trump said during a speech on Monday would be “strictly enforced.”
Dozens of other major municipalities have instituted curfews, including Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh Richmond, Omaha, Fargo, Sioux Falls, Seattle, Portland, Little Rock and Birmingham.
Key background
Protests have erupted in cities across the nation in response to the death of 46-year-old Floyd last Monday, who was seen on video saying “I can’t breathe” as officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes. Dozens of cities remain engulfed in protests, some of which have featured looting and rioting, even after Chauvin was arrested and charged with manslaughter and third degree murder.
Surprising Fact
Baltimore Mayor “Jack” Young went against the grain on Monday by declining to institute a curfew, praising peaceful protesters and saying that police would arrest any violent ones.
Chief Critic
The curfews have drawn widespread criticism from the left, in part for being implemented on short notice. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned how police will deal with their cities’ homeless populations, while Amnesty International argued that they restrict the rights of peaceful protesters and reduce transparency by restricting access for journalists and observers. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser initially argued that violent protesters don’t obey curfews, but has since instituted one.
/https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/1216828380/0x0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1&description=Major+Cities+Across+The+Country+Institute+Curfews){kind=link}