Columbia City Council sets curfew to curb protests. Here’s where it’s in effect
A curfew is in place for Columbia’s downtown and Vista areas, and will go into effect for the Five Points neighborhood on Sunday in hopes of preventing violent protests from breaking out.
The Columbia City Council on Sunday formalized the curfew, announced Saturday by Mayor Steve Benjamin after protests to George Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis turned violent.
An all-day curfew is in effect for the downtown area and the Vista, bordered by Huger street, Elmwood Avenue, and Sumter and Pendleton streets. A curfew goes into effect at 6 p.m. for Five Points.
Both curfews will be lifted at 6 a.m. Monday.
Five Points was added on Sunday.
“We thought the crowd would go to Five Points area instead,” said city council member Howard Duvall.
Violating the curfew could lead to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.
“Let’s move forward with the spirit of compassion to bring this community together,” Benjamin said at the emergency meeting. “Let’s be respectful of the right to free speech, let’s be respectful towards peaceful protest… Let’s be clear, violation of people’s personal property (and) personal safety will not be tolerated.”
Both Cayce and West Columbia are putting in city-wide curfews for Sunday night. Cayce’s begins at 8:30 p.m., West Columbia’s began at 6 p.m. Both are scheduled to be lifted at 6 a.m. Monday.
Saturday’s protest saw windows smashed in the downtown and Vista areas, police squad cars set on fire, more than a dozen of arrests and 15 law enforcement officials were injured.
Gov. Henry McMaster on Sunday said that the National Guard also is on alert in case Sunday’s protests become violent.
Early afternoon, another protest that began at the State House had spilled through the streets of Columbia heading toward the Columbia Police Department, where another clash between police and protesters occurred.
The protests took place in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.
Derek Chauvin, who was fired by the Minneapolis Police Department, has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter in the case. Three other officers who were present when Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck also were fired.
This story was originally published May 31, 2020 at 3:14 PM.
