ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta’s mayor has announced a curfew will be in effect from 9 p.m. Saturday to sunrise Sunday following violence that erupted in the city during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the curfew during a news conference Saturday evening. She called it a “very unusual and extreme step” after the violence that rocked Atlanta during Friday night.
Several other cities across the nation have order curfews following unrest surrounding demonstrations protesting Floyd’s death.
Georgia’s governor declared a state of emergency early Saturday to activate the state National Guard as violence flared in Atlanta.
In Friday’s protests, some demonstrators smashed police cars and spray-painted the iconic logo sign at CNN headquarters downtown. Police say at least three officers were hurt and there were multiple arrests as protesters shot at officers with BB guns and threw bricks, bottles and knives. Atlanta officials said crews were temporarily unable to reach a fire at a restaurant because of crowds of protesters.