Last Updated on June 3, 2020, 11:11 AM | Published: June 1, 2020
UPDATE, June 3, 2020, 8:30 a.m. — Mayor Holt rescinded the curfew emergency order May 2 about 30 minutes before the 10:00 curfew.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt has signed a curfew for a zone around City Hall, Police Headquarters, the Oklahoma County Jail and other public buildings.
The curfew is in effect for an indefinite number of days from 10:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. downtown between N.W. 4th Street on the north, Harvey Avenue on the east, Sheridan Avenue on the south and Classen Boulevard on the west.
Holt said the curfew was in response to vandalism of city and county property at the jail and in front of the Oklahoma City Police Headquarters late Saturday night.
To learn more: Peaceful protest devolves into broken glass, police confrontations, tear gas
Protests continued Sunday night as well around the police headquarters and the jail.
Triggering event
Holt cited the events of Saturday evening as the triggering event for issuing the curfew.
The evening started with peaceful protests around 6:30 at N.W. 23rd and Classen and later in the evening moved to Shartel in front of the Oklahoma County Jail and near the Oklahoma City Police Headquarters less than a block away.
But, by late in the evening just before midnight most peaceful protesters went home when the Oklahoma City Police who were in a line to stop protesters from getting close to the headquarters building began firing CS (tear) gas at the feet of the crowd.
Around 200 of the protesters then left with around another 200 still staying and confronting police.
The evening grew more tense between the remainder of the protesters still shouting at the police line and with the police continuing to fire gas and bean-bag rounds toward the protesters for hours more after midnight.
Sunday night around midnight the protesters began to throw objects and fireworks at police who did not show up in riot gear for that night.
Vandals
Around that time vandals began to break windows and loot stores around 23rd and Classen where the protests had started but were not happening that late.
At Police Headquarters at least two OKCPD patrol cars were damaged with windows being knocked out and side door panels kicked in.
An Oklahoma County Sheriff’s van blocking the entry to the Jail parking lot was set on fire.
Small businesses in the area had windows knocked out and as well as some windows in other city buildings in nearby.
Signing Statement
In Holt’s signing statement he cited the two evening’s events near city and county buildings as reasons for his issuing the curfew.
“There are very important issues that we as a city and a nation should confront, and all daytime protests this weekend raising these issues have been peaceful,” said Holt. “However, we learned Saturday night that things can change after dark.”
“On the request of the Chief of Police and the City Manager, I am providing law enforcement with a tool they need to ensure public safety overnight in downtown,” Holt concluded.
The curfew
The city Public Information Office summarized the details of the emergency proclamation thus:
No one is allowed on public property or vacant premises in the curfew area — except for public safety services, or going to or from a worksite or residence — during curfew hours.
The emergency proclamation prohibits the manufacture, transfer, use, possession or transportation of Molotov cocktails or similar explosive devices anywhere in Oklahoma City. It also bans transporting, possessing or using gasoline, kerosene and similar substances in glass or uncapped containers, except for normal operation of vehicles, or legitimate home or commercial use.
Here is the full signed proclamation provided by the City of Oklahoma City:
PROCLAMATION-5-31-2020
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
