Steve Neavling
Detroit police lined up with helmets and shields before enforcing the curfew Sunday.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Monday that he’s imposing another curfew as the city braces for more potentially violent rallies.
Duggan said the curfew will begin at 8 p.m. and continue for seven more days.
Meanwhile, some businesses downtown have boarded up their windows as police anticipate more unrest and destruction.
Police Chief James Craig said more than 100 demonstrators were arrested on Sunday night, primarily for curfew violations. As many as 75% of the protesters are not Detroit residents, Duggan said.
One protester was arrested for felonious assault after throwing fireworks at a squad car on Sunday. Police said they also found rocks, bottles, and railroad spikes that have been thrown at cops since the anti-police-brutality rallies began Friday, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis.
Three police officers have been injured during the protests.
Duggan and Craig said well-organized out-of-towners are responsible for the violence.
“Don’t come to our city; stay in your own,” Duggan said at a news conference.
Duggan said he imposed the curfew because violent protesters are “waiting until it’s dark to create destruction in our city.”
“Are we going to wait and let them operate under the cover of darkness, or are we going to do something?” Duggan said. “If we allow these groups to gather outside after dark, we will suffer the same fate as other cities.”
Two Detroit cops caught on video assaulting a protester have been removed from protest detail pending an investigation, Craig said.
Detroit cops abusing their power last night 🤦🏻♂️ #DetroitProtest #DowntownDetroit #detroitriots pic.twitter.com/SNwAYJuj0O
— Ak 🇾🇪 (@AkramG03) May 30, 2020
Police have been criticized for how they handled the curfew violations on Sunday night. At 8:45 p.m., police fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash grenades at protesters as they fled. (Check out Metro Times' photo gallery of Sunday's rally.)
Duggan and Craig defended the response, saying it was necessary to protect the streets after dark.
Monday’s rally begins at 4 p.m. at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters downtown. The curfew is likely to lead to another standoff between police and protesters.
Steve Neavling
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