National Guard called in, curfew imposed to keep peace in Louisville after violent protests
After a second night of protests turned violent in Kentucky’s largest city, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday morning that he is calling up the National Guard “to help keep peace in Louisville” as the city imposes a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
“The demonstrations in Louisville have all started peacefully, but what we have seen, especially last night, and what our intelligence says is going to happen tonight, are outside groups moving in, trying to create violence to harm everybody who is on those streets,” Beshear said in a video posted on Facebook.
The protests have been an outcry against the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot eight times by Louisville police in March, but Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said early Saturday that Friday night’s gathering resulted in looting of businesses, buildings set afire, vandalism of vehicles and windows smashed. On Thursday night, seven people were injured in a shooting after several hours of protests.
He said Louisville was one of 35 cities around the country where violence was reported.
“The tone clearly changed last night,” Fischer said in a media briefing. “The number of people on our streets clearly changed last night as well. ...This turned from being a peaceful protest into violence and terrorism. ....This has gone way beyond peaceful protest.”
Officials said they believe many of the people involved came from out of town.
“We have out-of-town anarchists in town that go around different cities doing this type of thing,” Fischer said in a video posted on Facebook Saturday afternoon. “...They’re not going to have to live with the city once they’re gone.”
Fischer asked the people of Louisville to stay home.
He said a citywide curfew will be imposed from 9 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday nights, with exceptions for people traveling for work, to houses of worship or because of medical needs.
“We have to get about the work of facing our past and creating a more equitable future,” he said, adding that protecting the community is also an immediate need.
“There are ways to channel the pain and the frustration of this moment into something positive, something that will create meaningful change,” he said.
Taylor’s family has called for reform, but without violence. Early Saturday, her sister, Juniyah Palmer, posted on Facebook, saying, “At this point y’all are no longer doing this for my sister. You guys are just vandalizing stuff for NO reason.”
“We cannot let Breonna’s legacy be marred by violence, and we can’t let our streets turn violent,” Beshear said.
He called the decision to bring in the National Guard “a big step, and a tough step.”
“It’s not one intended to silence any voice, because I want to hear,” he said. “But I want to make sure that at the end of the day, that we are all safe.”
About 350 guardsmen were expected to be deployed to Louisville Saturday afternoon, according to a news release from the Kentucky National Guard.
“We’re fully prepared to support the LMPD and other state agencies in protecting lives and preserving property,” Brig. Gen. Hal Lamberton, Adjutant General of the National Guard, said in the release. “We will help ensure that our Kentucky citizens have the right to demonstrate peacefully and safely.”
The release said the guard members from Lexington, Louisville, Frankfort and Greenville will be in and around Louisville to “assist the police in maintaining peace and protect critical infrastructure.”
Police were serving a no-knock warrant at Taylor’s home in connection with a drug investigation when the March 13 shooting occurred. The officers involved were not wearing uniforms and burst into Taylor’s apartment in the middle of the night, according court records.
There were no drugs found in Taylor’s apartment, according to court records.
This story was originally published May 30, 2020 at 12:51 PM.
