George Floyd Protests: Curfews Imposed In California Over Looting During Violent Demonstrations

KEY POINTS

California cities are imposing curfews to prevent more violence in George Floyd protests
More than 20 cities in California report looting and property damage during demonstrations
The California National Guard has been deployed to Los Angeles

Cities across California have declared curfews Sunday (May 31) as protests over the death of George Floyd turned violent throughout the state.

In more than 20 cities, protesters reportedly burned police cars, clashed with police, broke into stores and ran off with as much as they could carry.

Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed 1,000 members of the California National Guard to assist the 20,000 officers of the Los Angeles police and sheriff’s departments, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Per @MayorOfLA, the California National Guard will be deployed overnight to Los Angeles, in support of our response to the violent protests we are seeing in various parts of the city.

As a reminder, there is a citywide curfew until 5:30am.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) May 31, 2020

Despite the curfews, protesters gathered outside of the Los Angeles City Hall as National Guard officers stood behind police on the steps.

Garcetti said state and local officials recognized the anger over the death of Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a white police officer pinned him to the ground by his neck with a knee.

“It breaks my heart, too, to think about the Angelenos protesting in peace and fighting for justice how this violence and looting clouds that picture,” Garcetti said.

Nearly 400 people were arrested in Los Angeles Saturday as protests turned increasingly violent over the death of George Floyd, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore.

Moore also told the Associated Press that he hoped that reinforcements to police would help stem the violence.

Across California, more unrest has led to several instances of looting and at least one injury by gunshot.

In San Francisco, nearly 1,000 people marched through the streets chanting “Black Lives Matter” and carrying signs denouncing the death of George Floyd.

Across the bay in Emeryville, thieves stormed malls late Saturday (May 30), looting several stores and destroying the fronts of several shops.

There was no curfew imposed in Sacramento, but violent protests have resulted in the destruction of several businesses in the city’s midtown area and around the Capitol.

Sacramento police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at people who refused to leave after being ordered to do so.

As protesters in Long Beach gathered, several stores at The Pike Outlets including a Forever 21 were looted. Some thieves reportedly even changed into the clothes they stole while in the store.

California