Mayor says no plans for additional curfew after Saturday’s peaceful protests

UPDATE: Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett says there are “no current plans for additional curfew restrictions” following Saturday’s peaceful protests.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The last protesters marching through downtown were heading out around 10 p.m. Saturday, two hours after the Marion County curfew went into effect.

Protesters spent time between 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday marching the streets from one landmark to the next. They made a stop outside of IMPD headquarters where officers stood behind glass. Protesters chanted at the officers inside for several minutes and moved on.

That was the extent of the protest’s interaction with the police. IMPD kept their distance, using their cars to block off roads so traffic couldn’t drive into the protest route.

When the protest march came to the circle, organizers said it was time to disperse. They had leaders walk groups of people to their cars safely.

Protesters spent about two hours gathered outside the Indiana Statehouse earlier in the day, chanting “Black Lives Matter,” encouraging people to vote for change and hearing from government leaders.

Indianapolis has seen more than a week of protests, mostly downtown, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

Groups have gathered at Monument Circle for days, while some on Monday marched toward the Governor’s Residence, at 46th and Meridian streets, as curfew fell. On Friday, hundreds marched near the IMPD Northwest District at 38th Street and Guion Road.

Many people at Indianapolis protests have called for answers in the May shooting death of Dreasjon Reed. Reed was shot and killed following a pursuit with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Reed streamed the chase on Facebook Live. Police say Reed and an IMPD officer exchanged gunfire. Reed’s mother, Demetree Wynn, in a Wednesday press conference called for an independent investigation of the shooting. A special prosecutor on Thursday was assigned to the case.

• Special prosecutor announced for Dreasjon ‘Sean’ Reed case
• Mother of man fatally shot by IMPD calls for independent investigation

Protester Malik Muhammad met with Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday to discuss a legislative agenda. Muhammad was a leader of a Monday night march toward the Governor’s Residence where a standoff between protesters and police ended with many of them walking together away from the residence. Muhammad spoke exclusively to News 8’s Dan Klein about his conversation with Holcomb.

• Protester who helped lead march up Meridian Street meets with Gov. Holcomb
• Protesters, police join in walk after standoff at Governor’s Residence

Mayor Joe Hogsett has issued an 8 p.m. curfew for Saturday, as he did for Friday. According to the mayor’s office, the curfews will begin at 8 p.m. and end at 6 a.m. the next day.

The curfew comes after protests and rioting in the city, and a video that’s gone viral of officers using force on two women after a Sunday night curfew. A spokeswoman for the mayor’s office told The Associated Press that four IMPD officers were reassigned to support roles pending the outcome of an investigation into the use of batons and pepper balls to subdue two women at a protest last weekend over the death of George Floyd. News 8’s Richard Essex captured the incident on Facebook.

The Sunday curfew and arrests followed two days of protests that turned violent in the late evening, leaving two men dead downtown and extensive damage to downtown businesses. An arrest was made in the shooting death of 18-year-old Dorian Murrell. No arrest has been made in the death of Christopher Beaty.

• Docs: Man charged with murder following downtown riot
• Former IU football player remembered after fatally shot downtown
• 2nd day of protests turns violent in downtown Indianapolis

During the curfew hours, travel will be limited on public streets or and people are not to be in public places. The exceptions are for travel to and from work; seeking medical care; fleeing from dangerous circumstances; members of law enforcement; news media; local public officials conducting necessary work; and homeless people.