BEVERLY HILLS (CNS) - A citywide curfew in Beverly Hills will go into effect at 1 p.m. today, three hours earlier than planned, “to ensure the continued safety of the Beverly Hills community,'' the city announced.
The curfew will continue until 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, Mayor Les Friedman announced Sunday. It prohibits anyone from being on public streets, alleys, in parks or any public place.
This will be the third consecutive day a citywide curfew will be in effect in Beverly Hills. The first ran from 8 p.m. Saturday to 5:30 a.m. Sunday and the second from 4 p.m. Sunday until 5:30 a.m. Monday.
A curfew for Beverly Hills' business district was in effect from 1 p.m. Sunday to 5:30 a.m. Monday.
The Business District curfew encompasses the Business Triangle (including Rodeo Drive), South Beverly Drive, Robertson Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard.
“This has been a difficult weekend in our city,'' Friedman said in a robocall sent to residents Sunday night. “Thousands of protesters marched through our streets to call attention to the devastating circumstances surrounding the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd.
“Sadly, there were multiple incidents of vandalism. Several stores, buildings and public art pieces were damaged. This will not be tolerated in our city. It's unfortunate that the message of the peaceful protesters has been diminished by criminal behavior.''
More than 2,000 people came to Beverly Hills Saturday as part of a nationwide series of demonstrations in response to Floyd's in-custody death last Monday in Minneapolis, Keith Sterling, the city's public information manager, told City News Service. Many of them ignored social-distancing recommendations.
Sterling described the vandalism as “mostly spray painting and several broken windows.'' The vandalism included spray painting the phrases, “We Comin 4 Your $$'' and “Kill the Rich'' on the Beverly Hills Lily Pond on Santa Monica Boulevard between Beverly and Canon drives.
The Alexander McQueen clothing store on Rodeo Drive was looted by masked individuals as what dozens of people entered the store and escaped with stolen items. There was also an attempt to loot the Gucci store.
Two Santa Monica Police Department vehicles were attacked at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. Santa Monica police were assisting the Beverly Hills Police Department on a mutual aid request.
Photo: Getty Images