Second night of curfew after violent protests will be “strictly enforced,” mayor says

SEATTLE — In a press conference Sunday afternoon, Mayor Jenny Durkan said the second night of a citywide curfew following violent protests will be “strictly enforced.”

Durkan announced the emergency curfew for Saturday and Sunday after protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis erupted into violence and destruction in downtown Seattle late Saturday afternoon.

>>George Floyd protests turn destructive in downtown Seattle

The curfew lasts from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. and is place to prevent more violence and widespread property damage. All people are ordered to disperse from the downtown core and refrain from traveling in and through Seattle.

It applies to the entire city. Residents are being asked to stay at home.

>> PHOTOS: Thousands gather to protest death of George Floyd in downtown Seattle

At 6 p.m., Durkan declared a civil emergency and banned the use of weapons, both formal and informal -- such as pipes and rocks -- throughout the city.

Durkan asked Gov. Jay Inslee to activate up to 200 members of the Washington National Guard. They will be unarmed and will manage traffic and crowds, and help protect property in Seattle for the next seven days.

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