Curfews go into effect in cities around the country

Curfews have been instituted around the country on Saturday as mass demonstrations broke out nationwide and cities braced for another night of protests.

Los Angeles

Mayor Eric Garcetti said a curfew will begin in Downtown LA starting at 8 p.m. and will last until 5:30 a.m.

“We will always protect free speech and Angelenos’ right to live without fear of violence or vandalism,” Garcetti wrote on Twitter, saying the curfew is meant to “increase safety for demonstrators, law enforcement and all citizens of Los Angeles.”

Protests in LA were already underway on Saturday as buses were overtaken and multiple police cars were set on fire in the city’s 4th day of protests.

Atlanta

Atlanta will be under a curfew Saturday evening, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced in an executive order.

The decree will apply to the entire city beginning at 9 p.m. and lasting until sunrise. The city said the curfew is a result of the “recent acts of violence” during protests.

On Friday, Atlanta saw mass demonstrations where protesters set a police car on fire, struck officers with bottles, and vandalized the headquarters of CNN.

Denver

After Denver was rocked by two days of protests, Mayor Michael Hancock announced he is enacting a curfew on Saturday “to help protect people and property.”

Hancock said the curfew will begin at 8 p.m. on Saturday and last until 5 a.m. Sunday, he said in a press release. There will also be a curfew in place on Sunday evening.

The mayor said 34 people have been arrested in the past two nights of protest, and called the “destruction” in the city “reckless, inexcusable, and unacceptable.”

Philadelphia

Mayor Jim Kenney announced he was placing Philadelphia under a curfew on Saturday.

The city will be under curfew starting at 8 p.m. and lasting until 6 a.m. on Sunday.

On Saturday, thousands of people marched in Philadelphia in a protest that led to many fires. One Starbucks became engulfed in flames, in addition to some police cars.