The authorities of the city of New York lifted this Sunday the curfew imposed as a result of protests against police brutality earlier than planned, after a peaceful night, free of the clashes and looting of shops that were registered in the city in previous days.
“I want to thank everyone who has expressed their positions peacefully,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio this day. “I’ve made the decision to end the curfew. And honestly, I hope this is the last time we need a curfew in New York City.”
Despite the move, the mayor said a decision has yet to be made on whether to lift a vehicle ban in Manhattan south of 96th Street after 8pm.
The citywide curfew, imposed at 8 p.m. Saturday, was the first in New York in decades. It was scheduled to remain in effect for at least all of Sunday, and authorities planned to lift it as the city entered the first phase of economic reactivity after nearly three months of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The measure came after New York City police held back from enforcing a curfew on Saturday as thousands of people took to the streets on another day of marches and protests over George Floyd’s death at the hands of New York police. Minneapolis, which occurred on May 25.
The mayor noted that police had arrested only four people and issued 24 court appearances on Saturday. More than 2,000 arrests had been made as of Friday morning, the largest number being last Sunday and Monday, when hundreds of people were arrested as police tried to control looting in Manhattan’s business districts.
More than two hours after the curfew went into effect Saturday night, groups of protesters continued their march toward Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police officers monitored their actions without having contact with them.
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