Name: Detroit mayor Mike Duggan imposes curfew, blames outside agitators for unrest
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Detroit mayor Mike Duggan imposes curfew, blames outside agitators for unrest

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Detroit Free Press Detroit officials took a more sinister view&nbsp;of protesters who massed throughout downtown over the weekend, declaring a state of emergency and imposing&nbsp;a curfew in a bid to end the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of anti-police brutality rallies.Beginning Sunday and lasting until further notice, the executive order issued by Mayor Mike Duggan forbids&nbsp;people from roaming city streets between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. —&nbsp;unless they are going home, to work or seeking emergency assistance.The extraordinary move follows a second day of peaceful afternoon marches that gave way to chaotic and spontaneous after-dark&nbsp;demonstrations throughout the city's central business district. Unlike Friday's insurrections, protestors Saturday&nbsp;threw fireworks as police, filling downtown streets with the sounds of explosions, sirens and police warning protesters to move on before firing non-lethal projectiles and tear gas.While demonstrators have damaged police cars and hurled objects at cops, Detroit has been spared the vandalism and fires that have marred protests at cities stretching from Grand Rapids to Los Angeles. The unrest follows the death last week of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck and ignored his cries of "I can't breathe" before losing consciousness.Duggan referenced the wave of to justify the kind of order he one day earlier had said was not necessary."Following the tragic death of George Floyd of Minneapolis, Minnesota, civil disturbance and repeated periods of unrest have broken out in cities across America," the executive order says. "The City of Detroit has experienced two consecutive nights in which large and unruly crowds have threatened the safety of police officers, members of the public, and property, creating a state of emergency."Duggan announced the curfew during a briefing at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters, where the peaceful rallies began on Friday and Saturday. He was again joined by veteran community activists who decried the violence and said it was drowning out the message that police conduct endangers black lives."You don’t march to defeat the purpose and the point by which you have organized a march," said the Rev. Wendell&nbsp;Anthony, president of Detroit Branch NAACP. "Let’s not take our eyes off the prize. The prize here is justice. Justice. Justice for the family of George Floyd.""We can't extinguish violence with violence," said Maurice "Pastor Mo" Hardwick,&nbsp;of the Live in Peace Movement.More:More:Duggan and Police Chief James Craig again blamed outsiders for much of the trouble.Craig said police arrested 84 people Saturday and early Sunday. Duggan said 75% of them were from outside the city, with three coming&nbsp;from outside of Michigan.&nbsp;One was from Piqua, Ohio and two from Nashville.Duggan and Craig said Saturday afternoon that they did not suspect that agitators had come to Detroit to undermine the peaceful nature of the protests. By Sunday afternoon, they were reconsidering."Think about the person who drove here from Nashville, Tennessee —&nbsp;more than 500 miles," Duggan said. "How many police departments are within&nbsp;500 miles of Nashville that&nbsp;have a whole lot more troubled history than anything here?&nbsp;Is the motive really for justice in law enforcement or is it&nbsp;something else?"That has become more clear as Chief Craig and the police continue to develop evidence that is now emerging and becoming pretty clear that there is a small group of people operating here who are intent on initiating destruction and violence," he said."We’re gathering a good deal of information about them. They're very well organized with walkie-talkies and commands. They’ve got supply vehicles bringing them rocks and bottles and fireworks to shoot at police, and as far as the investigation so far, they’re not from the City of Detroit."Duggan and Craig declined to discuss any evidence they have that the demonstrations have been infiltrated by insurgents. The Free Press encountered one man late Saturday equipped with a backpack full of supplies to treat protesters suffering from exposure to tear gas. He would not give his name, but said he lived Downriver and was part of Anonymous, an international group known for mounting cyber attacks on governments and corporations.Duggan and the veterans activists who joined him urged people to stay away from Detroit Sunday night, whether their intentions are good or they are just looking for something to do.&nbsp;"A lot of people were going downtown just to be a part of something with no justification," said&nbsp;Tommy&nbsp;Mahone of Trip Mode Active, a car enthusiasts group that works with police.&nbsp;"And you really need justification."Anthony added: "This is serious. Civil rights and human rights is not a game. This is real."Craig said police would be prepared Sunday night, even after two long nights on the streets. Duggan said police response to protesters would not affect the department's ability to maintain its normal activities elsewhere in the city.Watch a replay of the briefing:Follow M.L. Elrick&nbsp;on Twitter (), Instagram () and Facebook ().

Detroit Free Press Detroit officials took a more sinister view&nbsp;of protesters who massed throughout downtown over the weekend, declaring a state of emergency and imposing&nbsp;a curfew in a bid to end the Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of anti-police brutality rallies.Beginning Sunday and lasting until further notice, the executive order issued by Mayor Mike Duggan forbids&nbsp;people from roaming city streets between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. —&nbsp;unless they are going home, to work or seeking emergency assistance.The extraordinary move follows a second day of peaceful afternoon marches that gave...

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M.L. Elrick

The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primarily serves Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Washtenaw, and Monroe counties.  The Free Press is also the largest city newspaper owned by Gannett, which also publishes USA Today. The Free Press has received ten Pulitzer Prizes and four Emmy Awards. Its motto is "On Guard for 189 Years".

Detroit mayor Mike Duggan imposes curfew, blames outside agitators for unrest

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