Gun pulled at protest prompts county to institute curfew

TALLAHASEE, Fla. – A Florida county instituted a curfew Tuesday, several days after a man pulled a gun at a protest against police violence, officials said.

Leon County Commission Chairman Bryan Desloge signed an order declaring a local state of emergency that includes a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Wednesday and lasting for a week.

The proclamation cites Tallahassee protests that have turned violent, specifically a Saturday confrontation where a man pulled a gun on protesters.

The Tallahassee Police Department said in a statement that the incident occurred during a protest downtown. Police said a white man began “documenting the protest” and then was pushed from behind. A fight ensued, police said, and the man was knocked to the ground. The man got up and pulled a gun, police said. Officers took the man into custody and dispersed the crowd.

No charges were filed, and no injuries were reported. Police said the man with the gun “was lawfully carrying a concealed weapon as a license holder.”

The demonstration was organized by the Tallahassee Community Action Committee in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which has sparked protests across the country.