Chicago's mayor revealed what it will take for the city to lift its nightly curfew, which remains in place heading into another weekend of planned protests.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she hopes to see multiple days of peaceful protests for her to lift the curfew.
"[Thursday] was one of the first days where we have had purely peaceful protests," she said. "If we continue to see this I'll be the first one to embrace eliminating the curfew but we're not there yet."
Lightfoot said the decision to impose a curfew was one she didn't make lightly.
"We assess that every single day, multiple times a day," Lightfoot said earlier this week.
The city first implemented a curfew as violence and unrest sparked Saturday evening. The daily curfew led to suspensions of transit in the area and the closure of the city's Loop to non-residents and essential workers.
The curfew begins at 9 p.m. and continued until 6 a.m.
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Protests have continued for days following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in an incident captured on cellphone video.
Thousands, including rapper and Chicago-native Kanye West, marched across the city Thursday calling for justice and demanding change in the city.
And more protests are planned in Chicago this weekend.
"There will be more protests - we know that," Lightfoot said Friday. "And I expect them to be peaceful."
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation this week for several counties to help with recovery efforts following looting, vandalism and unrest over the weekend.
Lightfoot has repeatedly denounced any looting or vandalism that took place over the weekend.
"It's completely heart wrenching to me personally. And I know to many of you who I've spoken to and heard from, updates that I received all day and night, from our aldermen, from local community leaders, about the attacks on local storefronts, and in particular our small, black-owned businesses, was nothing short of devastating," Lightfoot said at a news conference Monday.
"I know that for many of you, your life's work went into developing these businesses and commercial centers," she continued. "I know that for many of you, your blood, sweat and tears went into recruiting businesses to come support the vibrancy of your communities. And I want you to hear from me. Not only do I know that I and we will be your partner in rebuilding, we will not let our city be in shambles."
She had previously alleged that the destruction and theft was planned.
“There's no question that both the people who were fighting who brought the weapons that was absolutely organized and choreographed,” Lightfoot said Sunday in reference to attendees bringing shovels, hammers and other objects to the protests.
“It seems also clear that the fires that were set both the vehicles and buildings- that that was organized. That wasn’t opportunistic.”
Lightfoot said the city is working with the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF’s Bomb and Arson unit to find out who’s responsible.
The unrest in Chicago and many other cities unfolded after protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday, which was captured on cellphone video. It led to the firing Tuesday of the four police officers who were arresting Floyd for suspicion of passing a counterfeit bill and to third-degree murder and manslaughter charges being filed Friday against the officer who used his knee to pin Floyd down for more than eight minutes, even as Floyd pleaded for air and went limp.
