Dallas police issue 7 p.m. curfew ‘for next several days’ after George Floyd protests
A curfew will be in effect for sections of Dallas starting at 7 p.m. in response to protests that broke out across the city over George Floyd’s death, Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall announced Sunday.
The curfew will last through 6 a.m. Monday. It will be in effect “for the next several days,” Hall said, and encompass downtown, Deep Ellum, the Cedars, West End, Victory Park and Uptown.
The northernmost boundary will be Oak Lawn Avenue, the western boundary will be Riverfront Boulevard, the southernmost will be Corinth Street and the eastern will be Peak Street, Hall said.
According to regulations signed by City Manager T.C. Broadnax, people must avoid being in public or on public streets in the area during those hours, including private or public property, streets, sidewalks, alleys, parking lots and highways.
Travel includes walking on foot and any mode of transportation, including riding a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, motorcycle or driving by car.
Law enforcement, firefighters, medical personnel and news media are exempt from the curfew, in addition to those traveling to and from work, seeking medical attention, fleeing a dangerous situation or experiencing homelessness.
According to the Dallas Police Department, businesses are urged to close by 5 p.m. so employees and customers may avoid harm. Residents who live or work in the area and may need to travel while the curfew is in effect should be prepared to show proof of residency or work credentials, according to the department.
Shortly after Hall’s announcement, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson declared a local state of disaster due “to riots and civil disorder.” The declaration is in effect for seven days, and authorizes emergency responses, including a curfew.
“We cannot allow anyone to loot or vandalize or threaten the lives and livelihoods of people in Dallas,” Johnson said in a statement Sunday. “Enough is enough. We need to put a stop to the criminal destruction of our city.”
Hall warned that officers will arrest those who violate curfew, and those areas will be closed off to access. Violating the regulations may result in fines up to $1,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
“What we recognize now, is that this is no longer peaceful protesting,” Hall said during a news conference Sunday. “Where it started, we all agree, that our hearts go out to the Floyd family. This is not what we are dealing with.”
Protesters across the state, including in Fort Worth and Dallas, marched against police brutality after a viral video depicted Floyd, a black man, dying after a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed a knee into his neck while his hands were handcuffed behind his back.
The video sparked outrage nationwide. Officer Derek Chauvin was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene.
Peaceful gatherings across Dallas and Fort Worth led to tense face-offs with police as the night wore on and officers launched tear gas into crowds. Instances of violence and looting punctuated the night.
Hall defended officers’ use of tear gas, saying it was a “less lethal form of force that we can use in order to disperse a crowd” while causing “minimal injury.”
“We are dealing with individuals who are vandalizing property, attempting to injure police officers and the protesters who are peacefully protesting, putting their safety and lives at risk as well,” Hall said. “This will not be tolerated in our city.”
One viral video depicted a group beating a man who had charged protesters with a machete. Hall said the department does not yet have any perpetrators in custody and is in the process of reviewing video footage from the area.
“We are thankful and prayerful that he is in stable condition. That was what he was listed in as of yesterday,” Hall said.
In San Antonio, officials implemented a curfew for the downtown business district, and expanded it to additional areas Sunday. Sgt. Chris Daniels, a spokesman for the Fort Worth Police Department, wrote in an email Sunday that he is not aware of discussions of a curfew or the support of Texas National Guard for Fort Worth.
“The protests, for the most part, have been peaceful,” Daniels wrote.
On Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster due to protests turned violent, and ordered “thousands more troopers” and over 1,000 National Guardsmen to assist local law enforcement responding to protests. The FBI has also deployed tactical teams, he announced.
The additional state resources come a day after Abbott activated the Texas National Guard and deployed 1,500 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.
Gatherings in Fort Worth blocked traffic Saturday night, and police arrested two people after ordering them to disperse. Arrests were far more widespread in Dallas, where protesters were pushed back by officers who fired tear gas and flash bangs Saturday night.
By the end of the night, police arrested or detained 89 people, according to the Dallas Police Department’s Twitter, which a police spokesman referred reporters to for information. Friday night, Dallas demonstrations ended with rioting in Deep Ellum, where demonstrators smashed windows, looted shops and left graffiti.
Staff writer Luke Ranker contributed to this story.
This story was originally published May 31, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
