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UPDATE:

New York City will implement a curfew in hopes of preventing looting and vandalism following the wave of citywide protests against police violence and the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

Tuesday night's curfew will begin at 8 p.m. During his press conference on Tuesday morning, de Blasio said the curfew would be in effect through Sunday.

 The curfew will lift at 5 a.m. and is expected to once again exempt essential employees, including the media, the homeless, and those seeking medical attention.

New York is joining other cities around the country in imposing such restrictions after days of violence. The limit on the movement of 8.6 million people comes after months of restrictions already imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 The additional officers will be deployed to areas where violence and property damage occurred during last night’s protests – specifically in lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. ​ The Governor and the Mayor also reminded New Yorkers participating in protests to take proper health precautions and wear face covering while we continue to fight the COVID-19 virus.

“I stand behind the protestors and their message, but unfortunately there are people who are looking to take advantage of and discredit this moment for their own personal gain,” said Governor Cuomo“The violence and the looting that has gone on in New York City has been bad for the city, the state and this entire national movement, undermining the and distracting from this righteous cause.  While we encourage people to protest peacefully and make their voices heard, safety of the general public is paramount and cannot be compromised.  At the same time, we are in the midst of a global pandemic which spreads through crowds and threatens public health.”

The police department will have 8,000 officers out tonight, doubling its presence in areas where there was violent property damage, according to a joint statement from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the outbreaks of violence — which left stores ransacked, police vehicles burned and other destruction in spots around the city — left them no choice, even as they insisted they stood with peaceful demonstrators who have spoken out for several days against police brutality and racial injustice.

“I support and protect peaceful protest in this city. The demonstrations we've seen have been generally peaceful. We can’t let violence undermine the message of this moment. It is too important and the message must be heard. Tonight, to protect against violence and property damage, the Governor and I have decided to implement a citywide curfew,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The Police Commissioner and I have spoken at length about the incidents we've all seen in recent days where officers didn't uphold the values of this city or the NYPD. We agree on the need for swift action. He will speak later today on how officers will be held accountable.”