SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- JUNE 1: A man is taken into custody by San Francisco police after a curfew dispersal order was given at City Hall, Monday, June 1, 2020, the fourth day of Bay Area protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police cu … (Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Mayor London announced Wednesday the city will lift its 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly curfew in response to recent protests starting Thursday morning.
The curfew began Sunday after widespread looting and vandalism in the city the previous night.
"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 George 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. 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," she said.
Breed added that while people continue to protest, she and San
Francisco police Chief Bill Scott, who is also black, are committed to working toward creating reforms within the justice system.
"I hope to see that in the coming weeks, months and years, that
the people of San Francisco continue to advocate for real change across our country. We will be right there with you," she said.
Although the mayor has lifted the curfew, the city's supervisors
have planned a special meeting Thursday at 2 p.m. to approve or reject the curfew order. The action was postponed from the board's Tuesday meeting.