It's unclear if Chicago will remain under a curfew for a fourth straight night, the mayor said Tuesday, adding that she doesn't make such decisions lightly.
"We assess that every single day, multiple times a day," Lightfoot said.
The mayor noted a determination on Tuesday evening will be made at some point in the day, but changes could be in store.
"Do you maintain, do we expand, do we shrink it... it's something I don't enter into lightly," she said, noting that "people who are not law-abiding don't care about a curfew, but it gives a measure of security for those who do."
The city first implemented a curfew as violence and unrest sparked Saturday evening. Since then, the daily curfew has also led to daily suspensions of transit in the area and the closure of the city's Loop to anyone who doesn't live or work in the area.
The curfew has begun at 9 p.m. and continued until 6 a.m.
Protests have continued for days demanding justice and change following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in an incident captured on cellphone video.
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Hundreds marched on the city's North Side Monday in a largely peaceful gathering that saw demonstrators take over Lake Shore Drive. Elsewhere, vandalism and looting continued into the evening hours.
Chicago officials once again put some measures in place Monday night in an effort to curtail the unrest of the days before: closing streets into the city's Loop, shutting down CTA service and more.
The night's unrest was again not limited to the city alone, but spread out to area suburbs, many of which instituted curfews, closed roads and warned residents to stay home.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation Monday for several counties to help with recovery efforts following looting, vandalism and unrest over the weekend. The proclamation covers Champaign, Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Madison, Macon, Sangamon and Will counties, Pritzker announced.
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.
