Mayor Karen Bass has declared a regional curfew for downtown Los Angeles in response to four days of escalating protests that have caused significant damage to property and public landmarks.
The curfew is set to begin at 8 p.m. and run until 6 a.m. across most of downtown L.A. This curfew encompasses an area defined by the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway and from the 10 Freeway to the intersection of the 110 and 5 freeways. Notably, the rest of the city remains unaffected by this order.
Certain exceptions to the curfew are in place for individuals residing or working in downtown, along with credentialed media members, law enforcement, and emergency personnel.
In announcing the curfew, Bass expressed her intention to consult with law enforcement and city officials to determine how long it might remain in effect. She emphasized its necessity to mitigate the actions of “bad actors who do not support the immigrant community.”
The enforcement of the curfew has been made clear by both Mayor Bass and Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, who stated that those violating the curfew will face arrest. “I am exercising my mayoral powers to implement a curfew within downtown Los Angeles,” Bass declared. She cautioned, “If you do not live or work in downtown L.A., avoid the area. Law enforcement will arrest individuals who break the curfew, and you will be prosecuted.”
Following the initiation of the curfew on Tuesday night, there was a noticeable reduction in the number of protesters remaining in the downtown area. However, a small group stayed behind, leading to the arrest of 17 people suspected of violating the curfew, as reported by LAPD on Wednesday morning. An earlier report indicated a total of 25 arrests on Tuesday night alone.
This curfew has been prompted by an increase in arrests since protests commenced on Friday, a reaction to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies affecting Southern California. Initial demonstrations remained peaceful, but tensions escalated rapidly over the weekend. By Saturday, police reported 27 arrests, with that number surging to 40 on Sunday and surpassing 100 on Monday. A staggering additional 205 protesters were arrested on Tuesday, shortly before Mayor Bass announced the curfew at 5:30 p.m.
The charges faced by those arrested included failure to disperse, throwing a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement, driving a motorcycle into officers, and various acts of vandalism and looting. Mayor Bass highlighted the significant impact on the local business community, noting that vandalism has adversely affected many establishments. “Last night there were 23 businesses that were looted. If you drive through downtown, the graffiti is everywhere and has caused significant damages to businesses and a number of properties,” she stated.
Historically, Los Angeles has previously been under curfew during times of civil unrest. In 2020, a citywide curfew from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. was enforced by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti amidst protests following George Floyd’s murder. That curfew, imposed alongside a countywide order announced by then-L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, was the first sweeping curfew to be enacted in the city since the 1992 Rodney King uprising, highlighting the significant measures taken in response to civil disorder.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-11/downtown-los-angeles-curfew-explainer
