In the midst of many North Carolina state-wide protests, both violent and nonviolent, regarding the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, the mayor of Raleigh has declared a state of emergency. This declaration comes after two nights of what City of Raleigh Mayor, Mary-Anne Baldwin, describes as violence and destruction. The state of emergency will impose a citywide curfew beginning at 8pm and ending at 5am the next morning until the mayor decides that there is no longer a need for the curfew to continue. The curfew will not apply to medical professionals, public safety workers, hospital workers, military personnel, public transportation personnel, public utilities personnel, or journalists. Anyone who does not fall into one of the above categories could be charged with a misdemeanor and up to a 1,000 dollar fine if they are found traveling within the city limits between 8 o’clock at night and 5 o’clock in the morning. 

  The mayor’s hope for Raleigh is that this curfew will allow the community to recollect themselves, find connection and commonality, and to repair damages. In Baldwin’s public statement, she reassured protestors that their voices are being heard and that change will come, so long as protests remain peaceful. Over the weekend, protests in downtown Raleigh that began positively resulted in over forty-five arrests, as well as police firing tear gas and rubber bullets into crowds of several hundred people. Although the protesting began as a a fight against the wrongful murder of George Floyd by the hands of Minneapolis police officers as well as the countless other black lives taken, the protests have escalated. Now, they are against the systemic racism that plagues society. News of the citywide curfew comes after many businesses in downtown were destroyed and looted on Saturday and Sunday. It is speculated that looters may have been outside forces looking to sabotage the BLM movement. 

  Although looting has slowed as of Monday, June 1, many protestors were still gathered outside of state buildings past the 8pm curfew. The businesses that suffered economically from looting were rebuilt on Monday morning, with community members of all ethnicities, and largely from the black community, contributing to rebuilding. Raleigh mayor advocated for this specifically as she stated that all people need to come together peacefully as one community. This is the echoing opinion of North Carolina and the nation as a whole, but peace can not be achieved until black lives matter. Ultimately, this is the goal of the Raleigh curfew, to end violence and take a step towards non-violence.