Questions Arise Over Expanding Bay Area Curfews

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Tear gas is fired by the police on Broadway near the Oakland Police Headquarters on May 29, 2020 during a protest over the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

Cities around California have set curfews in the wake of protests over the killing of George Floyd. Officials in favor of a curfew argue that it helps maintain public safety.  But civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have criticized these measures for lacking clarity and scope as well as violating first amendment rights. San Francisco--which had been operating under an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew-- changed tack on Wednesday, with Mayor London Breed tweeting that the city will lift the curfew and “continue to facilitate any and all peaceful demonstrations.” In this hour, we talk about how effective, practical, and constitutional curfews really are.

Guests:

Nancy O'Malley, district attorney, Alameda Count; president, California District Attorneys Association

Zachary Norris, executive director, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

Jennifer Earl, professor of sociology, University of Arizona

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