Racine Curfew Extended To Wednesday After Peaceful Demonstrations

RACINE, WI — City officials in Racine extended an overnight curfew for the second night after largely peaceful protests during the day and evening hours Monday.

Racine Mayor Cory Mason issued an emergency declaration today extending Monday night's city wide curfew to include Tuesday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

“Again, we are issuing this curfew out of an abundance of caution. Last night was calm, and I appreciate the cooperation of our residents who have marched and demonstrated peacefully, and who have rejected the agitators from outside the community in doing so. The goal is to keep people off of the streets and sidewalks in the nighttime hours,” Mason said.

Another demonstration is planned for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of 10th and Main Streets.

Demonstrators took to the streets Monday afternoon, staging rallies protesting the loss of George Floyd, who died last week in police custody in Minneapolis, in addition to others who lost their lives when confronted by officers over the years.

According to a Journal Times report, demonstrations took a calmer turn Monday night as a small group gathered outside the Racine police station.

Although demonstrations proved peaceful, several people learned that bricks had been stashed at various points in Downtown Racine, presumably to be used during potential demonstrations.

Tensions escalated somewhat over the previous 24 hours in the city after the Thelma Orr COP House located several blocks south of downtown was vandalized and burned by demonstrators.