After Friday night’s demonstrations ended with no arrests, Atlanta city officials announced Saturday that the mayor’s 8 p.m. curfew has been lifted.
A spokesman for Keisha Lance Bottoms said the city would monitor this evening’s events and decide Sunday whether the curfew should be reinstated.
LIVE UPDATES: Demonstrators gather for 9th day of protests in Atlanta
Large crowds of protesters have gathered downtown for nine consecutive days, calling for an end to police brutality and racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
A 9 p.m. curfew was implemented last weekend after what began as a peaceful demonstration on May 29 quickly devolved into chaotic scenes of vandalism and looting.
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Credit: ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM
Credit: ALYSSA POINTER / ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM
Police Chief Erika Shields told the City Council that her officers experienced a new element of extremism that included throwing bricks, Molotov cocktails and knives at police.
Complete coverage: Atlanta protests
Officials moved the curfew up by one hour on Friday in an effort to get protesters off the streets by 8 p.m. The earlier curfew was initially set to remain in place through this weekend.
So far, Atlanta police have made 532 arrests through the first eight days of protests. Most face misdemeanor charges for minor offenses such as violating the citywide curfew and blocking the roadway, arrest data shows.
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