City Imposes 7:00pm Curfew Tonight and Tomorrow:  Bowser Situational Briefing

Mayor Bowser at today’s Situational Briefing at Judiciary Square

City Imposes 7:00pm Curfew Tonight and Tomorrow:  Bowser Situational Briefing

by Larry Janezich

June 1, 2020

Mayor Bowser and other city officials held a situational briefing this morning at about 11:20am, outdoors at Judiciary Square.  Here are some of the key points from that briefing

• The curfew put into place last night by will be extended two more nights (Monday and Tuesday). It will begin both nights at 7PM, and extend until 6AM the following morning.
• Bowser said the city will not allow the continued destruction of our home town – “we support the right to protest – but smashing windows and looting has become the bigger story”.
• Police Chief Peter Newsham says anyone on the streets after 7:00pm who is not press or essential workers will be taken into custody.
• Newsham said police were working to identify those responsible for destruction of property and looting and noted there is a $1000 reward for anybody in those categories who can be identified.
• There were no arrests for gunfire last night. MPD responded to reports of gunfire in Georgetown and gun casings were recovered.  There were no injuries or arrests.
• Last night the National Guard was in support of the US Park Police but tonight they will have a larger role. MPD is also working with the DEA, FBI, US Park Police, and the US Secret Service.
• There were 88 arrests last night; 44 were charged with felony rioting and a number with burglary 2. Some arrested for violating the curfew.
• Those arrested were largely from this area. Names and demographic details will be released.
• Last night, seven MPD officers suffered minor injuries. Nine MPD vehicles were damaged.
• Mayor Bowser said that the President’s tweets “harken to days when African Americans were terrorized in this country and that’s all I’m going to say – that language needs to stay in the past.”