The curfew affecting downtown Los Angeles has officially been lifted.
Mayor Karen Bass announced the news on Tuesday, June 17.
“The curfew, coupled with ongoing crime prevention efforts, have been largely successful in protecting stores, restaurants, businesses and residential communities from bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community,” said Mayor Bass. “I am lifting the curfew effective today, and as we continue quickly adapting to chaos coming from Washington, and I will be prepared to reissue a curfew if needed. My priority will continue to be ensuring safety, stability and support in the Downtown neighborhoods.”
LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell added, “The curfew has been an effective tool in helping us maintain public safety in the Downtown Los Angeles area and deter those looking to exploit peaceful protests for criminal activity. The LAPD will maintain a strong presence in the area and continue to monitor conditions closely to protect lives, uphold the right to lawful assembly, and safeguard property.”
Why was there a curfew in DTLA?
The curfew originally began after several days of largely peaceful demonstrations in response to immigration enforcement across Los Angeles. On Monday night, a protest in DTLA escalated, leading to confrontations between some demonstrators and law enforcement. Authorities reported more than 100 arrests and damage to 23 businesses.
When did the curfew originally begin?
The curfew was initially issued on Tuesday, June 11, and impacted one square mile in DTLA, from the 5 freeway to the 110 freeway, and from the 10 to the merging point of the 11o and 5. The curfews were originally set for 8 pm to 6 am daily, and continued through Sunday, June 15.
On Monday, June 16, Mayor Bass reduced the hours of the curfew to 10 pm to 6 am.
Who was affected?
The areas affected included:
- Little Tokyo
- Skid Row
- Fashion District
- Arts District
- Chinatown
- Parts of South Park and Historic Core
Many downtown Los Angeles and Little Tokyo businesses were forced to reduce their hours or shut their doors completely. Find out how to support them as they reopen their doors here.