Miami-Dade County implements mandatory curfew as downtown Miami protests become violent
Hundreds protested in downtown Miami and Coral Gables on Saturday against the police brutality that killed George Floyd. As day turned to night, a peaceful protest turned violent with looting and a mandatory curfew was put in place by Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
Around 8 p.m. after downtown Miami protesters were pushed off Interstate 95, tear gas was used on protesters by police. During the commotion, protesters set ablaze a Miami police car and a civilian car. Others got into Miami police’s parking lot and damaged other vehicles.
Aerial television news footage also showed a big group of looters ransacking Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami.
Gimenez quickly went into action in response to the emerging violence and looting and put into effect a countywide 10 p.m. curfew effective Saturday. Essential workers are exempt from the curfew if they are heading to and from work.
”Residents in all cities must abide,” Gimenez tweeted.
An emergency alert was issued to Miami-Dade residents phones informing them of the curfew.
Miami police implemented a curfew beginning at 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and starting Sunday there will be a mandatory curfew in the city every day from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Anyone who violates the curfew will be arrested, police said.
Miami-Dade transit also announced all Miami-Dade Transit services, including Metrorail, Metromover, Metrobus and the Go Nightly program, have been suspended.
This story was originally published May 30, 2020 at 9:44 PM.
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