Curfews have been lifted in the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County that were put in place early Sunday morning in the midst of violence and vandalism that coincided with anti-police brutality protests over the weekend.
Mayor Ben Walsh said the restrictions helped the city have a successful day with no violence on Sunday.
"By the time we got to Sunday morning and the sun came up, and people came out and started to clean up, that for me set the tone that said 'I think we’re going to be okay', but I didn’t know, so we let Sunday play out," Walsh said.
Walsh thanked the community for the mostly respectful and peaceful demonstrations.
"I'm proud of this city, proud of the way we handled it, but certainly sorry to see that we did have some unfortunate events that transpired," he said.
Walsh said there were reports of 18 buildings damaged and a few looted during the protests late Saturday and early Sunday, which triggered the curfew order. Seven people were arrested. Police haven't reported any arrests during protests Sunday and Monday.
Protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis are continuing peacefully in downtown Syracuse. Walsh noted the systemic racism that's prompted protests remain, and he vows to continue working with the community on the issue.
"We don't think we're done, because the issues that are being protested are far from being addressed," he said. "From system racism to police/community relations, these are all areas that we need to work on as a city and as a nation, and we're devoted to doing just that."
