Tampa Curfew Lifted; Black Lives Matter Protest Planned Saturday

TAMPA, FL — After a relatively peaceful night Monday, the city of Tampa will lift the curfew that has been in effect since Sunday.

As of Tuesday, the curfew from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. will no longer be enforced.

However, on Monday night Tampa Police made two more civil unrest-related arrests.

Police arrested Eric Casseus, 29, of Bridge Street in Tampa, on two counts of burglary and resisting a police officer without violence.

Police also arrested Darius Bland, 23, of Cypress Street on six counts of burglary and violation of the city's curfew.

Police said there was no damage to vehicles or businesses Monday night.

Tampa Bay activists say the protests culminating from the death of George Floyd while he was detained by police in Minneapolis aren't over.

On Saturday, June 6 at 3 p.m., Black Lives Matter Tampa will host a "protest of police brutality" at Fred Ball Ball, 2621 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa.

The organizers say this will be a peaceful protest calling for the "demilitarization of our police force."

"This is a call on the mayor and sheriff for change in the systematic oppression that runs rampant in this city," said organizer Elizabeth David on the Black Lives Matter Facebook page. "We're reiterating the fact that we are going in peace. We want to be heard. We will not destroy, attack or throw things. We will not flood the streets; we will not block traffic. But we will stand and be heard."

Protesters will meet at Fred Ball Park and then march down the sidewalks on the Tampa Bay side of Bayshore Boulevard.

On Sunday, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan joined marchers during another Black Lives Matter protest to draw attention to police shootings that disproportionately target and kill black people.

Black Lives Matter was joined by 13 other organizations including the Florida Council on American-Islamic Relations, Dream Defenders, the African American Muslim Alliance, Stop the Violence Tampa Bay, Organize Florida, the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Tampa Bay, Circle of Mothers, Standing Up for Racist Justice Tampa and 25 clergy members from various faith communities.

The protesters gathered at Cyrus Green Park at 2101 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Tampa, near the Tampa District 3 Police Station on 22nd Street.

Organizers say they now want to move the demonstration to South Tampa.

"We need to be heard on the opposite side of town - South Tampa," said David.

See related stories:

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