Santa Monica Prioritizing Life and Safety During Protests and Looting
May 31, 2020 9:41 PM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – The City of Santa Monica is devastated by today’s events in Santa Monica, throughout Los Angeles County, and across our country. We are a community that values equity, inclusion, and safety. The peaceful protest to honor the life of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery has devolved to include looting and property destruction.
“This has been a gut-wrenching day in Santa Monica. Our top priority remains the personal safety of everyone in our community,” said Mayor Pro Tempore Terry O’Day. “We are thankful that no critical injuries have occurred. We have had a great deal of property damage caused by opportunistic looters. We have the support of every law enforcement agency in Southern California and are restoring sanity to our streets. Stay at home. You are safest there.”
The Santa Monica Police Department’s (SMPD) first priority is the safety of the public during this dynamic event and has implemented a curfew until 5:30 a.m. tomorrow throughout Santa Monica. SMPD will enforce the 4 p.m. curfew order, including making necessary arrests. The full strength of the Santa Monica Police Department and Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) are responding, with support through mutual aid from our neighboring jurisdictions. The City of Santa Monica is working with the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and other regional law enforcement agencies. The United States National Guard is on the ground in Santa Monica. This continues to be a dynamic event and we are prioritizing life safety.
“Anyone who is in Santa Monica right now can do something to protect the lives of your neighbors,” said Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud. “If you are still in Santa Monica, please leave now. If you know anyone on the streets of Santa Monica, please tell them to go home. Santa Monica Police Department has made hundreds of arrests and with the assistance of the National Guard, we continue to enforce our curfew and secure our streets.”
Latest Updates:
- There have been nine fires today across our City. There are no active fires at this time.
- Please use 9-1-1 for life threatening emergencies. If you have photo or video evidence of individuals looting in Santa Monica, please email info@santamonica.gov.
- No officers have been injured.
- The I-10 and Pacific Coast Highway off-ramps into Santa Monica are closed.
- Metro Expo Line service and bus lines are not available.
- When leaving Santa Monica, please head east.
- The City is doing everything we can to respond to the most urgent calls for assistance.
- Santa Monica Police and Fire have responded to over 1,000 9-1-1 calls since 12 p.m.
Santa Monica State Assemblymember Richard Bloom shares, “I fully support the people’s right to protest. The pursuit of justice on behalf of George Floyd weighs heavily on the minds of most of us. And let us not forget the memory of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and the many who came before who were also unjustly killed. Looting and violence always hurts the cause of justice. And the need for justice has never been greater, nor has there been a time in my memory where more people have been united and engaged in pursuit of justice and a better world. I ask that we work together peacefully towards that end and call on law enforcement and the public to act safely and with restraint. Towards that end, I urge people to stay home, stay safe and respect the curfew.”
Sign up for emergency alerts text SMALERTS to 888-777 or santamonica.gov/alerts. Follow the City on Twitter at @santamonicacity, Facebook and Instagram at @CityofSantaMonica for developing updates on this situation.
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Media Contact
Constance Farrell
Communications & Public Information Manager
Constance.Farrell@santamonica.gov
Departments
More Information
https://www.santamonica.gov/Media/Default/CMO/2_-Second_Supplement_-_Local_Emergency_-_May_31.pdf