Nashville protests: Opry Mills, CoolSprings Galleria, Green Hills mall won't open Sunday

Thousands of demonstrators crowded Legislative Plaza on Saturday afternoon in Nashville, stretching up to the steps of the state Capitol in a rally against police violence and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

People packed together despite the ongoing threat of the coronavirus, wearing masks and lifting signs reading “Black Lives Matter” and “Not One More.”

Here's what we know:

Sunday, May 31

8 p.m. curfew announced for Sunday

Nashville police Chief Steve Anderson confirmed there will be a curfew Sunday night as the city continues to recover from a protest against police brutality that turned violent Saturday. Mayor John Cooper said the curfew would be in effect at 8 p.m. CT.

Police will have a heightened presence downtown in an attempt to prevent another round of vandalism and destruction. Anderson said the details were still being discussed. He did not say when the curfew would start.

Anderson said investigators had identified 20-30 people within the crowd who appeared to co-opt the peaceful rally and march "as a cover for the destruction they wanted to deploy." Police are still working to confirm their identities.

Crews working to clean up courthouse

Clean up crews were working to restore the courthouse which was damaged by protesters Saturday. 

In the wake of a crowd that had gathered around the historic courthouse Saturday night, fires were set, windows were smashed and a plaque dedicated to the Civil Rights Era was destroyed. Shattered glass littered the floors. 

Although workers had cleaned up a considerable amount Sunday, the damage was extensive. Even if rooms and furnishings weren't destroyed by protesters themselves, the sprinkler system drenched multiple rooms when the fire was set, extending the damage. 

Green Hills, CoolSprings, Opry Mills malls not opening 

The Green Hills and Opry Mills malls in Nashville and the CoolSprings Galleria in Franklin won't be opening Sunday after rumors swirled online of threats to loot the shopping centers. 

The decisions came after a night of protests across Nashville against police violence.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the Mall at Green Hills will remain closed today," the Mall at Green Hills said in a statement to The Tennessean.

CoolSprings Galleria posted a statement on Twitter Sunday around 1:30 p.m. announcing the mall would be closed "in light of current unrest and in an abundance of caution."

The Opry Mills Mall was inaccessible to visitors Sunday and had a security presence along with digital signs that said the property was closed. 

Saturday, May 30: 

Scheduled 'I Will Breathe' rally peaceful

Saturday's "I Will Breathe" rally, scheduled from 3-5 p.m., proceeded largely without incident as thousands of demonstrators crowded Legislative Plaza.

As speakers stepped up to a megaphone, the throngs cheered and chanted “I can’t breathe!” and “No justice, no peace!” Police stood on the outskirts of the rally directing traffic and didn’t interact with the demonstrators.

About 4:40 p.m., protesters began marching downtown on Charlotte Avenue, with organizers urging participants to remain peaceful.

Police remained at the perimeter of the group but did not appear to be interacting with the protesters.

Police, protesters clash; fire set at Metro Courthouse

Tensions ratcheted up as evening set in, and protesters started a fire at Nashville's Metro Courthouse, which also houses City Hall.

Dozens of people had gathered on the steps of the building after the rally and march. Demonstrators smashed windows with rocks and other material, drawing a swarm of police. The situation appeared to subside by about 7:30 p.m.

But by 8:15 p.m. fire was visible from the first floor.

A short time later, police with riot gear arrived as a fire burned inside a window at City Hall. Officers deployed tear gas as rioters clustered in the center of Public Square Park.

Elsewhere downtown, a statue outside the state Capitol of Edward Carmack, a controversial former lawmaker and newspaper publisher who was a prohibitionist leader and espoused racist views, was torn down. 

Curfew issued, state of emergency declared, National Guard deployed 

Nashville police issued a 10 p.m. curfew in the city on Saturday night after protests turned violent and City Hall was set on fire, Mayor John Cooper declared a state of civil emergency and Gov. Bill Lee deployed the National Guard.

"The threat to both peace and property is unacceptable and we will work with local law enforcement and community leaders to restore safety and order. This is not a reflection of our state or the fundamental American right to peaceful protest," Lee wrote on Twitter.

Metro Nashville police tweeted the curfew announcement about 8:45 p.m.

Over loud speakers, Nashville police announced that anyone caught outside after the 10 p.m. curfew would be arrested. They made this announcement at 9:26 p.m. 

The curfew order came simultaneously with Cooper declaring a state of emergency in the city.

MNPD: 28 people arrested, 30 buildings damaged

Twenty-eight people were arrested during the protests or after the 10 p.m. curfew, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department, and 30 buildings or businesses were damaged.

The Metro Courthouse suffered fire and water damage along with broken windows and graffiti, according to an MNPD release early Monday morning. Broken windows were also reported at the famed Ryman Auditorium and more than 20 shops and bars along Lower Broadway and Second Avenue North.

On Sunday, Cooper tweeted about his disappointment in the vandalism across downtown. He said more arrests could be made as law enforcement identifies people responsible for the damage.