DETROIT – Detroit leaders Mayor Mike Duggan, Police Chief James Craig and several local pastors addressed yet another round of protests Downtown.
On Sunday hundreds of demonstrators crowded Downtown Detroit to protest against the recent killing of black Minneapolis man George Floyd.
Much like Friday’s protest, Saturday’s demonstration began peaceful but quickly escalated around 9 p.m. when protestors were forced to keep a distance from the Detroit Police Department headquarters.
As a result 84 individuals were arrested on Saturday -- more than the 60 arrests that occurred Friday.
Police Chief Craig says that only 21 people of the 84 arrested Saturday were from Detroit. Two individuals weren’t even from Michigan -- one was from Tennessee and another from Ohio.
To help prevent another peaceful protest from turning violent on Sunday, Mayor Duggan issued a city-wide curfew that will take effect at 8 p.m. on Sunday until 5 a.m. People are not allowed to be in public areas or on public streets during the curfew.
Both Mayor Duggan and Chief Craig said they respect people’s right to peacefully protest, but won’t tolerate violence here in the city. All over the country -- and even in Grand Rapids -- the George Floyd protests have become increasingly violent.
MORE: Videos show police turning up heat on protesters, rioters across US cities
Similarly Reverend Wendell Anthony with the NAACP is urging people to remember the purpose behind the protest, saying that violence is not the answer.
“There’s a way in which you march. You don’t march to defeat the purpose and the point by which you have organized the march," Anthony said. "Lets not take our eyes off the prize. The prize here is justice. Justice for the family of George Floyd.”
MORE: Leaders call out protesters from suburbs who participated in violent Detroit George Floyd protest