The city-wide curfew order was lifted Monday after a relatively quiet night along the First Coast on Sunday. The evening stands in stark contrast to the dramatic events that transpired Saturday during protests downtown.
Civil unrest has been widespread in the United States over the weekend following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing.
On Saturday, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said a protester stabbed one of his officers in the neck and "many people have been arrested" during protests downtown. Authorities warned the public to stay away from the downtown area as the protest against police brutality escalated.
Dozens of people gathered Sunday afternoon at the Downtown Jacksonville courthouse for a peaceful protest against police brutality. Just before 6 p.m. at the Duval County courthouse, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office began arresting protesters who were given the order to disperse from the lawn.
By 8 p.m., protesters had cleared the scene.
On Sunday night, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced via Twitter that a city-wide curfew will be made effective starting at 8 p.m. and would last through the night until 6 a.m. Monday.
The announcement came after protest demonstrations led to arrests and destruction of the downtown area Saturday and Sunday.
The weekend protests were just several of many happening across the country. Floyd's death, as well as the death Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Ga. and the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, have sparked concern over racial injustice in the U.S.