Hours ahead of 7 p.m. curfew, Dallas expands area to include bridge where arrests made
Hours ahead of a 7 p.m. curfew Tuesday, Dallas expanded the curfew boundaries to include West Village and Trinity Groves.
The curfew area now includes the Frank Crowley Federal Courthouse, where demonstrators gathered Monday night, and the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, where hundreds were arrested on the fourth night of protests spurred by the death of George Floyd. Floyd, a black man, died last week after a white officer in Minneapolis pinned him down and pressed a knee into his neck.
Though the bridge was outside of the zone covered under the curfew in effect Monday night, police considered protesters to be obstructing a highway, according to the Dallas Morning News. Police blocked off both sides of the bridge to traffic, and protesters were met with smoke.
The curfew hours, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., remain unchanged. The curfew with the expanded areas is expected to last for seven days after Gov. Greg Abbott and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson declared states of disaster on Sunday because of protests, according to a news release.
Roxana Rubio, a city spokeswoman, wrote in an email Tuesday that the area was expanded at the request of neighborhood associations on behalf of residents and businesses in the area, and that the city is working with “various partner organizations” to inform residents.
A Dallas Police Department spokesperson confirmed in an email Tuesday that the changes came in response to Monday night’s mass arrests and, when asked how residents would be notified of the change, noted that it had been shared on the department’s social media accounts.
According to regulations signed by Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax, people must avoid being in public or on public streets in the area during those hours, including on private or public property, streets, sidewalks, alleys, parking lots and highways.
Travel is prohibited, including walking on foot and any mode of transportation, including bicycles, skateboards, scooters, motorcycles or cars.
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.
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.
Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall first announced the curfew Sunday, after a weekend of mostly peaceful demonstrations punctuated by instances of violence and looting. At the time, it encompassed downtown, Deep Ellum, the Cedars, West End, Victory Park and Uptown.
Shortly after Hall’s announcement Sunday, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson declared a local state of disaster due “to riots and civil disorder,” and authorized emergency responses, including a curfew.
This story was originally published June 2, 2020 at 5:07 PM.
