Mayor Warren’s emergency curfew order to reduce violence extended

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — An emergency order put into place last week by Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, which prohibits nighttime gatherings in an effort to reduce gun violence, remains in effect for at least five more days, according to city officials Tuesday.

The emergency order prohibits public gatherings of five or more people between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. and indoor gatherings of 10 or more unrelated individuals from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. unless the location is licensed under the state’s alcohol beverage and control law.

MORE | Is Mayor Warren’s anti-gathering emergency order legal? Civil rights attorney weighs in

According to the mayor, since June 1, 70 people were shot in the city from June 1 through July 15, including eight fatalities due to local gun violence.

“This is regarding gatherings that we have seen in our empty lots, in our parks, on our sidewalks that have led to people actually coming up and drive by shootings occurring,” said Mayor Warren last week. “What we have seen in the last couple months, a party has ensued, people are ready to leave, hanging out, and someone will open fire.”

Hours after the mayor announced the new curfew rules, a protest emerged at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park at Manhattan Square. The group marked from MLK Park to the area of East Avenue and Alexander Street before returning, where they remained in the park for several hours, according to the Rochester Police Department.

RPD announced the following morning that 30 people had been arrested as a result of protesters breaking the emergency order curfew.

“Rochester Police Officers provided numerous dispersal orders to the group over the span of several hours. Some protesters obeyed the orders and left the park, but others did not. At approximately 2 a.m., officers began arresting individuals who refused to leave the park and follow the emergency order,” RPD officials said in a statement.

According to the statement, no force was used during the arrest and there were no injuries to any protesters or officers.

All protesters were charged with violating New York State Executive Order Law, a class B misdemeanor, and were issued appearance tickets to return to Rochester City Court at a later date.

Mayor Warren said unless the violence stops, the order will be renewed every five days.

 

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