News for North Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

City Of Dallas Institutes Curfew In Downtown Areas To Shut Down Demonstrations, Violence

Protestors at City Hall
Bret Jaspers
/
KERA News
Protesters gathered outside Dallas City Hall on Saturday before the violence later that night.

A curfew began at 7 p.m.  Sunday in downtown Dallas and nearby neighborhoods. Police Chief Renee Hall said it will be in effect until 6 a.m., and those hours will continue for the next several days. 

Hall said the curfew covers Deep Ellum, Farmers Market, Central Business District, West End, Victory Park and Uptown, with Oak Lawn Avenue, Riverfront Boulevard, Corinth Street and Peak Street serving as boundaries.

Protests over police killings of black Americans sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis continued for a third day in Dallas,  Fort Worth and cities across the state and nation. Saturday's events started peacefully, but police later used tear gas to disperse protesters in downtown, while other demonstrators briefly shut down highways and looted businesses. 

By 11 p.m. Saturday, Dallas police had made 74 arrests, including 10 arrests involving people on freeways. Those arrested will be charged with inciting a riot.

At a press conference Sunday afternoon, Hall said the department supports peaceful demonstrators; she described those who loot and vandalize property not as protesters but as criminals. 

“We are determined to keep our city safe,” Hall said. "We will not tolerate vandalism to our city."

|MORE: TUNE IN TO A SPECIAL EPISODE OF KERA'S THINK EXPLORING THE EVOLUTION OF PROTESTS MONDAY AT 1 PM|

The local disaster declaration was issued by Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, and it set the curfew to expire in seven days.

In a statement, Johnson said he, too, supports peaceful demonstrations, but small groups this weekend deviated from that.

"We cannot allow anyone to loot or vandalize or threaten the lives and livelihoods of people in Dallas. Enough is enough,” Johnson said. “We need to put a stop to the criminal destruction of our city.” 

Additional demonstrations are planned for Sunday evening. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has activated the National Guard and declared a state of disaster statewide. 

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Gabrielle Jones has a passion for serving diverse audiences. She is the Audience Editor at KERA in Dallas, Texas.