Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall lifts weeklong curfew

Protesters demonstrate peacefully as they walk towards police on 200 East between 400 South and 500 South in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News

City is ‘once again proving itself to be a place of peace and progress,’ she said

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall on Wednesday lifted her weeklong nightly curfew after several nights of protest that have mostly been peaceful since a weekend protest turned chaotic and violent.

“After seeing the respect that protesters have largely shown for one another, police, and our city, I believe that Salt Lake City is once again proving itself to be a place of peace and progress,” Mendenhall tweeted.

It’s a change of tone as Salt Lake protesters continue to demonstrate against the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Mendenhall’s curfew, which she announced Monday to last for a week, required people to stay off public streets and sidewalks between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., but had exceptions for emergency responders, media and anyone given permission by city officials. It also included exceptions for anyone traveling to and from work, attending religious services; obtaining food; caring for a family member, friend or animal; traveling to the airport, visiting private businesses, seeking medical care, fleeing dangerous circumstances, or experiencing homelessness.

Mendenhall received some backlash for the curfew, some saying it was “heavy-handed.” Other groups, like Utah’s chapter of the ACLU, also challenged its constitutionality, saying it raises First Amendment and fairness concerns, in part because it allows some activities to take place in public but not others.

But Mendenhall has defended the curfew, saying it balances First Amendment rights while protecting residents and neighborhoods by keeping protests at manageable levels during the day, and not allowing them to spiral out of control at night. She also said it was made in consultation with Gov. Gary Herbert, and based off of what had been happening at protests in other cities across the nation.

But after Tuesday night’s protests remained mainly peaceful, Mendenhall decided to lift the curfew.

“I want you to know that I see all of you out there doing your best not only to keep things peaceful, but also coming together across lines to communicate and connect,” Mendenhall tweeted. “I don’t want this simmer of frustration to disappear, but I want to work together to direct it toward positivity and progress.”

In her tweets, Mendenhall again referenced systematic racism in America.

“Throughout cities and our nation, overt racism and implicit bias affects the ability of people of color to fairly access health care, education, our economy, the judicial system, food, child care, and more opportunities than we can name,” Mendenhall said. “I am committed to this work, and I know you are, too.”

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