Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced at a press conference Tuesday evening that he will begin imposing curfews in downtown Los Angeles as part of a strategy to quell the protests that enter the fifth night.
The curfew begins at 8pm Pacific time and lifts at 6am. The mayor said police will arrest people who violate the orders. The curfew is expected to last for several days.
Protests broke out in parts of downtown Los Angeles during the day and evening, starting from Friday night to Tuesday. Dozens of demonstrators have attempted to cross the US, and downtown buildings have suffered “severe damage” from graffiti and broken windows, Mayor Bass said.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the number of daily arrests has increased throughout the week. On Saturday, 27 people were arrested. Sunday, 40. Nearly 200 people were in custody before the evening protest began on Monday and Tuesday, 114.
California's political leaders have urged the Trump administration to stop the migrant attacks that sparked demonstrations. Activists were further inflamed by the decision to send President Trump and the Marines to California against the challenges of state governor Gavin Newsom.
“I think it's important to point this out, not to minimize the vandalism and violence that took place there, that was important,” Mayor Bass said. “But it's very important to know that what's going on in this square mile isn't affecting the city. Some of the image of protest and violence gives it a look as if this is a crisis throughout the city and isn't.”
Los Angeles enacted an overnight curfew when violent protests grew up nationwide in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. Still, peaceful demonstrators ignored those orders and continued their march. Activists and the city's report criticized the Los Angeles Police Department's violent reaction to protesters at the time.
There were also partial intermittent restrictions on night gatherings and business operations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Most recently, county officials enacted a curfew from 6pm to 6am in areas where mandatory evacuation orders are in effect due to the devastating wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes in January.
It was also the last time the National Guard forces were deployed in Los Angeles. But in that case, it was the mayor's request.
