INDIANAPOLIS

Mayor Hogsett reinstates curfew for Friday and Saturday 'to preserve this promising peace'

Dwight Adams
Indianapolis Star

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said Wednesday that while there will not be a curfew tonight or Thursday night, he plans to reinstate it Friday and Saturday to address public safety needs.

The curfew was is being reinstated for the upcoming weekend, the mayor's office said, "to address public safety needs associated with the larger projected crowd size of planned weekend gatherings."

Mark Bode, a spokesman for Hogsett, said Wednesday that city officials will be "working closely with community and law enforcement partners to monitor planned events that may occur this weekend and over the next several days."

Hogsett's announcement of the reinstated curfew mentioned the vandalism and looting of some Downtown Indianapolis businesses and property during riots that followed peaceful protests Friday and Saturday. Two people also were killed during the demonstrations late Saturday night and early Sunday.

But the mayor also pointed out that there were three days of peaceful protest in Indianapolis on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday that he said "has powerfully contributed to a national conversation on our criminal justice system."

The mayor said it was a difficult call for him but that he decided reinstating the curfew Friday and Saturday "will better allow our city to preserve this promising peace.”

Here is the full statement from Hogsett about the reinstated curfew:

“After a difficult weekend, Indianapolis has experienced three days of peaceful protest that has powerfully contributed to a national conversation on our criminal justice system. To the men and women of IMPD: thank you for protecting first amendment rights, under difficult conditions, as our community wrestles with necessary change. And to those who have chosen the path of nonviolent protest—we see you, we hear you, and we will work with you over the coming days, weeks, and months.
 
For the safety of what we believe will be much larger demonstrations this weekend, and given the violence and property damage we experienced this past weekend, we intend to reinstate the curfew order for Friday and Saturday. I do not make this decision lightly, but it is my belief it will better allow our city to preserve this promising peace.”

Protests have occurred in Indianapolis every day since Friday to raise awareness of police brutality and police-involved killings of people of color. Such recent killings include those of George Floyd, a black man who died while in the custody of Minneapolis police on Memorial Day, and Dreasjon Reed, a black man who was fatally shot by an Indianapolis police officer on May 6.

'It did not happen':Dreasjon Reed family lawyer says he did not shoot at police

Hogsett's reinstatement of the curfew did not mention the times that the curfew will be in effect. However, the curfews he ordered for Sunday and Tuesday nights covered the hours from 8 p.m. at night until 6 a.m. the following morning. The Monday night curfew ended at 4 a.m. Tuesday due to the primary election.

During earlier curfews, no one was allowed to travel on public streets or be in public places in Marion County during the hours the curfew was in effect.

There also were exceptions to the mayor's order made for people going to and from work (including delivery drivers) and people seeking medical care or fleeing dangerous circumstances, as well as a few other essential groups.

Violation of the curfew order is a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and fines up to $10,000. 

No charges for some:No charges for 41 nonviolent protesters in Indianapolis, Marion County prosecutor says

Call IndyStar digital producer Dwight Adams at 317-444-6532. Follow him on Twitter: @hdwightadams.