New York City is lifting its curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday morning as he announced new police reforms—including shifting NYPD funding—amid ongoing protests and a Phase 1 reopening of the city Monday.
The 8 p.m. citywide curfew, New York's first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus.
"Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city,'' de Blasio tweeted in his announcement of the curfew's end "effective immediately.''
"Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart," the mayor wrote.
The mayor on Sunday evening also announced that the city would cancel alternate side parking Monday, June 8 through Sunday, June 21.
More than two hours after the curfew had passed Saturday night, groups of several hundred demonstrators continued to march in Manhattan and Brooklyn, while police monitored them but took a hands-off approach. A large group of protesters walked onto the FDR Drive, the main north-south artery along Manhattan's east side, closely monitored by police, forcing police to temporarily shut down one side of the roadway.
Local politicians and civil liberties advocates had called for an end to the 8 p.m. curfew, complaining that it causes needless friction when officers try to enforce it. But de Blasio had initially insisted the curfew would remain in place throughout the weekend.
At his daily briefing Sunday, de Blasio said there were only four arrests made and 24 summonses issued over the course of the entire day Saturday, with tens of thousands of people protesting across the city. That’s compared to hundreds of arrests made on previous nights.
“I made the decision to end the curfew, and honestly I hope it’s the last time we’ll ever need a curfew in New York City,” the mayor said.
When it comes to police misconduct and racial inequities, de Blasio announced Sunday that the city is taking steps to address issues brought up by protesters.
“First we have to address the issue of office accountability,” de Blasio said. “It takes, in New York City, too long for there to be accountability for officers who do the wrong thing. That is a tradition that must change.”
The mayor said several officers have been suspended in connection with incidents this past week.
He said an officer seen shoving a woman in Brooklyn has been suspended without pay, as has an officer seen pulling down the mask of a protester and pepper spraying him in Brooklyn. The mayor said a senior officer who was supposed to be supervising the officer seen shoving the woman has been reassigned.
De Blasio said all three officers face further disciplinary action.
The mayor said there are “much bigger and deeper reforms that have to happen after that” and that the Task Force on Racial Equity and Inclusion is looking into steps the city government can take to address disparities, including shifting funding from the NYPD.
"We will be removing funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services," de Blasio said. "The details will be worked out in the budget process in the weeks ahead."
The four reforms the city is focusing on now are:
1. Shifting funding from NYPD to youth and social services
2. Reforming 50-a, a law that shields police records; de Blasio said he supports the state Legislature’s plan to “make 50-a as we knew it a thing of the past”
3. Shifting the enforcement of street vendors away from the NYPD
4. Bringing community voices into the senior level of the NYPD
"This is a beginning. I want it to be abundantly clear to all New Yorkers. These are first steps in what will be 18 months of making intense change in this city," de Blasio said. "This is a transformative moment."
De Blasio said other issues to tackle disparities are also being addressed "constantly."
When it comes to three key indicators tracking the coronavirus, de Blasio said all three indicators were still heading in a positive direction ahead of Phase 1 of reopening Monday, when construction, manufacturing and in-store/curbside pickup at retail stores commence.
The daily number of people admitted to hospitals with suspected COVID-19 was 72, below the threshold of 200 patients set by the city.
The daily number of people in intensive care at city hospitals with suspected COVID-19 was 324, also below the threshold of 375.
The percentage of people tested who were positive for COVID-19 was 4 percent, below the 15 percent threshold.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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