Chicago Mayor Orders 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Curfew Until Further Notice

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew until further notice as downtown protests of George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis grew increasingly violent Saturday.

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“What started out as a peaceful protest has devolved into criminal conduct," Lightfoot said.

Floyd died Monday after a Minneapolis police officer held a knee to the man's neck while investigating an alleged forgery. Video of the fatal incident that went viral on social media showed the 46-year-old African American handcuffed and crying out that he couldn't breathe.

Floyd's death prompted protests in Minneapolis and city's across the country.

Brawl With Police, Squad On Fire At George Floyd Protest: Reports

Mayor Lightfoot said she was disgusted by the number of people who came to protests in Chicago "armed for all-out battle. You don’t come to a peaceful protest with a bowling ball or a hammer or a shovel or a baseball bat."

Lightfoot announced the curfew about 30 minutes after an order came over the police radio to "lockdown the 1st District," which includes the downtown business district where police cars were burned, buildings were broken into and stores were looted.

“I applaud the vast majority of the individuals who came here to make true and lasting change peacefully; but to the rest of you, I’m here to call you out for your recklessness and for your obscene disrespect to the righteous cause you are trying to hijack," the mayor said.

Police Supt. David Brown said officers will give people a chance to disperse when the curfew goes into effect. After that, "We will be taking you into custody when you destroy property. ... That’s just facts," Brown said of people who are being violent "in the memory of a man who was unjustly killed, murdered by police officers.”

Brown did not say how many people have been arrested and how many officers were injured during hours of protests on Saturday. One officer had "broken bones," the top cop said.

In some cases, police used pepper spray to prevent looting, Brown said.

Lightfoot said the city will have "zero tolerance" for people who came to the protest to be violent and provoke police officers. “There’s no space for them, and we should not give them any shelter anywhere in our city" she said. "That’s not who we are as Chicagoans.”