Following weekend vandalism and looting in the Central City and other neighborhoods, the Sacramento City Council today unanimously approved a resolution declaring a local public emergency and imposing a citywide curfew.
The curfew is in effect 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until further notice.
“We took this step firmly but reluctantly,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said, adding that it is “an unprecedented action” for the City of Sacramento.
The Council vote occurred on the same day that approximately 500 California National Guard troops began arriving in Sacramento to assist the City of Sacramento and the County of Sacramento in protecting key infrastructure.
The City of Sacramento, in coordination with the Sacramento Police Department, made the request for the additional assistance on Sunday. The National Guard has had a presence in Sacramento for several weeks, helping with food distribution and working on the field hospital at Sleep Train Arena.
The National Guard troops arriving today will allow additional Sacramento Police Department officers to respond to any reports of violence and destruction of property, officials said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on May 30 declared a state of emergency and activated the California National Guard to assist law enforcement. The National Guard has been deployed in Los Angeles and the City of Long Beach. National Guard troops currently are on standby in San Francisco.
The City of Sacramento has declared a local public emergency and imposed a citywide curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until further notice. For details: https://t.co/NblqXeo2Dw pic.twitter.com/bKifUmnQKO
— City of Sacramento (@TheCityofSac) June 2, 2020