Dallas Declares Curfews in Several Areas in Wake of Escalating Protests

The city of Dallas has enacted a curfew for the Deep Ellum, downtown and Uptown areas, effective from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., beginning Sunday and continuing for the “next several days.”

Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall made the announcement at a news conference Sunday afternoon after the city saw escalating protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man from Minnesota who died May 25 as Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for eight minutes.

Saturday evening, Dallas Police started making arrests when a "shift" occurred in the peaceful protests and “officers began to be assaulted with bricks and bottled water,” Hall said.

Dallas Police tweeted at 10:44 p.m. Saturday that 74 arrests were made: 27 in Uptown, 10 on freeways and 37 downtown.

"What we recognize now is that this is no longer peaceful protest," Hall said. "Where it started, we all agree that our hearts go out to the Floyd family, but this is not what we’re dealing with. We are dealing with individuals who are vandalizing property, attempting to injure police officers and the protesters who are peacefully protesting are putting their safety and lives at risk, as well. This will not be tolerated in our city."

Hall made a request from Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who signed an emergency declaration giving police authority to institute the curfew, she said.

The boundaries for the curfew are Oak Lawn Avenue to the north, Riverfront Boulevard to the west, Corinth Street to the south and Peak Street to the east.

On Sunday afternoon, protests were planned for 3 p.m. at the Omni Dallas Hotel, at 5 p.m. at DPD headquarters and Klyde Warren Park, and a vigil was scheduled for 3 p.m. at Freedman’s Cemetery in Uptown.