UPDATE: Bay Area Counties, Cities Rescind Dusk-To-Dawn Curfews; Some City Curfews Remain
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Officials allowed dusk-to-dawn curfew orders to expire in most Bay Area cities Thursday, as well as countywide curfews in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Mateo Counties as law enforcement agencies report declines in the number of acts of looting, violence and arrests.
In a press release Contra Costa officials noted, "This action does not affect any city curfews that remain in effect. Cities will make their own determination as to whether curfews continue to be needed within their commercial districts or other areas within those cities."
Bay Area cities with curfews still in effect include:
- Antioch: 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., until June 8.
- Fremont: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., until June 8.
- Lafayette: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., until further notice
- Orinda: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., until further notice
- Pittsburg: 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., until further notice
- Pleasant Hill: 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. in "commercial areas" until further notice
- Walnut Creek: 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., until June 8
Among the other half dozen Bay Area communities that imposed local curfews, Palo Alto also lifted its order on Thursday morning.
"This is an unprecedented time in our community's history and imposing a curfew was a significant step to ensure the safety of our
community and businesses," Palo Alto City Manager Ed Shikada said.
The orders were put in place after widespread looting left San Francisco's retail hub Union Square in shambles and buildings in San Jose damaged and defaced with graffiti condemning the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
FULL COVERAGE: GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the curfew has allowed police to quell the violence that erupted over the weekend.
"Following Saturday night, it was important for the safety of our residents to ensure that we could prevent the violence and vandalism that had taken place, but we know that the overwhelming majority of people out protesting are doing so peacefully and we trust that will continue," Breed said in a statement on Twitter.
Breed has been supportive of the protests, which kicked off last week following the death of Floyd, a black man who died as a Minneapolis police officer was arresting him. However, she reminded demonstrators to remain peaceful.
"As I said at the rally at City Hall on Monday, I am Mayor of San Francisco, but I am a black woman first," she posted. "I know what it is like to experience injustice, and as someone who grew up here I am well aware that we have our own legacy of racism to reckon with and rectify."
Meanwhile, the San Jose City Council voted 10-1 to let the curfew expire on Thursday morning. However, council members said that if conditions worsen after the restrictions were relaxed, they can revisit it reimposing the order.
The council lifted the restriction after receiving complaints the curfew was a violation of the right to assemble and protest.
The San Jose Mercury News reported that Griesey Ponciano, a local teacher and former New York City resident, saw "no difference between (New York's controversial) stop-and-frisk (order) and your curfew."
"Your curfew is an act of aggression and gives your officers more freedom to arrest as they see fit," she said.
On Wednesday night, a crowd of nearly 10,000 protesters marched from San Francisco's Mission High School to the Hall of Justice and City Hall.
Authorities said the demonstration was relatively peaceful and few people were detained.