New York City's curfew will begin 3 hours earlier and last through the week as lockdowns sweep the country
- New York City will extend its curfew, now beginning at 8 p.m., through at least Sunday June 6, the mayor said Tuesday.
- On Monday, an 11 p.m. curfew did little to quell unrest and mass gatherings sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
- While thousands of people gathered peacefully in Brooklyn and Manhattan surrounded by officers, a small number of demonstrators damaged upscale stores in Manhattan's retail core.
- President Trump urged the city to call on the National Guard to forcibly impose peace, as other states have done.
New York City's historic curfew, the first in more than a half-century for the United States' largest city, will begin before sunset, at 8 p.m., and last until at least Sunday June 7.
Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement Tuesday morning, following a fourth night of civil unrest in the city that was largely unaffected by the first curfew imposed at 11 p.m. Monday. While thousands of people gathered peacefully in Brooklyn and Manhattan surrounded by an increased number of officers, a small number of demonstrators damaged and looted upscale stores in Manhattan's retail core.
"We will not tolerate violence of any kind. We will not tolerate attacks on police officers. We will not tolerate hatred being created," de Blasio said at a press conference.
In a separate press conference Tuesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo drew a distinction between those peacefully gathered and others who looted stores. He also said police should have stopped the property damage after video showed cops largely stepping aside as the break-ins occured.
"They did not do that in New York City last night, and I am disappointed and outraged at what happened in New York City last night," he said. "Those looters, that criminal activity hurt everyone."
Cities across the country have implemented curfews over recent days as demonstrations proliferated following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. Only one officer of the four caught on video of the incident has been criminally charged, fueling the nationwide unrest.
At least six people have been killed in demonstrations across the country,The New York Times reported. In New York, 47 police vehicles were damaged, 33 officers injured, and more than 700 people arrested, police said. Nationwide, photos of burning trash cans, police cruisers, and buildings quickly became iconic images of the movement.
In response, 67,000 National Guard troops have been deployed by 23 state governors to help quell the violence, a number that dwarfs the soldiers deployed to fight the coronavirus pandemic in recent months.
In the nation's capital, President Donald Trump threatened to deploy active military into cities to crack down on the demonstrations. And as protesters stood peacefully in Lafayette Park near the White House, the group was forcibly removed for Trump to walk to a nearby church for a photo-op.
"NYC, CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD," Trump tweeted as the extended curfew was being announced Tuesday. "The lowlifes and losers are ripping you apart. Act fast! Don't make the same horrible and deadly mistake you made with the Nursing Homes!!!"
Cuomo chastised the mayor's response thus far, and said the National Guard would not be needed if NYPD resources were well deployed.
"I believe the mayor underestimates the scope of the problem," he said. "I believe he underestimates the duration of the problem, and I don't think they've used enough police to address the situation – because it's inarguable that it was not addressed last night ... The NYPD, well-deployed, would not need the National Guard."
Read the original article on Business Insider