Riverside Countywide Curfew

Press release from the City of Beaumont:

June 1, 2020

Beaumont, CA— The County of Riverside proclaimed a local emergency and set a countywide curfew Monday, June 1 from 6 p.m. to Tuesday, June 2 at 6 a.m. The order was signed by County Executive Officer and Director of Emergency Services George Johnson, in coordination with law enforcement officials, and applies to all cities and unincorporated areas.

The curfew is in response to several areas of rioting and looting in Southern California over the weekend, as well as planned protests set to occur today in Riverside County.

“We want the community to be able to peacefully assemble and exercise their first amendment rights,” said Johnson. “We must also take action to protect our community from threats of rioting and chaos. If you plan to visit a protest today, we urge you to do so peacefully and return home at the time of the curfew.”

The curfew will expire Tuesday morning, June 2 at 6 a.m. and will not apply to residents who must leave their homes to attend essential work or business after 6 p.m. The curfew is intended to prevent any potential acts of destruction and violence at protest sites. Law enforcement will continue to serve the community by conducting patrols and responding to calls for service.

Public health officials also remind the community that while gathering for peaceful protests, community members should wear a face covering and maintain six feet between others to thwart the spread of coronavirus.

Members of the public can call 2-1-1 for more information.

Statement from Chief of Police Sean Thuilliez:

The City of Beaumont is aware of the countywide curfew. The Beaumont Police Department is encouraging residents to comply with the curfew, with the exception of:

• Peace officers, fire fighters, emergency operations personnel, National Guard or other military personnel
• Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers
• Homeless
• Individuals seeking medical attention

Compliance with these orders is not only for your safety but will allow the Beaumont Police Department to proactively respond to any incidents that arise within our jurisdiction, as well as allocate safety resources to allied agencies who request support to deal with violent civil unrest throughout the county. We thank you, our residents, for continuing to make the City of Beaumont great.

This press release was produced by the City of Beaumont. The views expressed here are the author’s own.