Residents of the District of Columbia will be voting Tuesday through 8 pm, even though Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered a curfew that goes into effect at 1 pm due to the ongoing protests against police brutality around the city.
The curfew will be in place until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3. However, Bowser announced that it will not apply to “individuals who are voting and participating in election activities, including poll workers, volunteers, and individuals exercising their right to vote.” Voting stations will remain open until 8 pm.
Essential workers, including healthcare personnel and working media with their outlet-issued credentials, those traveling to and from their essential work are also exempt from the curfew.
Along with DC, nine states are holding primary elections. A majority of these elections were delayed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Mayor Bowser also tweeted a message on Tuesday, lashing out at federal police officers for using munitions on peaceful protesters in front of the White House.
I imposed a curfew at 7pm. A full 25 minutes before the curfew & w/o provocation, federal police used munitions on peaceful protestors in front of the White House, an act that will make the job of @DCPoliceDept officers more difficult. Shameful!
DC residents — Go home. Be safe
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) June 2, 2020
DC police announced that they arrested 88 people in the District on Sunday, which was the third consecutive night of protests that erupted following the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American, at the hands of a white officer in Minneapolis last week.
Peaceful protests in DC turned violent with some demonstrators setting fire to several buildings.
The District is also still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic as it saw a spike in positive cases on Monday. It entered Phase 1 of its reopening program on May 29, after the data relating to coronavirus showed slowing of the disease.
The recent increase is in patients expected to push back DC’s schedule to move to the second phase as a 14-day decline is needed for that.
As of Monday, the death toll from the coronavirus in the city was 470 and there were a total of 8,886 positive cases.
No Let-Up in Demonstrations on Third Night in DC as Protesters Defy Curfew