The city of San Diego broke from national trends in deciding not to enforce city-wide curfews like those seen in New York, Minneapolis, Atlanta and other areas of the country.
“We encourage peaceful protests,” Mayor Kevin Faulconer told CNBC. “That’s part of who we are as Americans and that’s how you affect change.”
Protests continued over the weekend in San Diego County, marking almost two weeks of daily demonstrations since the death of George Floyd.
Faulconer said by not implementing a curfew he intended to send a message of support to protesters.
“You want to have a culture that is open to folks saying, ‘This is our ability to demonstrate,’” said Faulconer.
San Diego was also one of the first regions since Floyd’s death to announce a ban on the police department’s use of the carotid restraint.
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The neck restraint is meant to be more humane than a traditional chokehold but has been criticized for being used more frequently on people of color during arrests.
After local officers debated the ban, multiple law enforcement agencies in San Diego County agreed to no longer use the restraint.
Faulconer also reflected on the city’s decision to equip officers with body cameras in 2014. He said this round of protests and policy change feels different as dialogue continues with an independent community board.
“I’ve stressed you have to be willing to work with your community,” Faulconer said. “Community support is what is important not just for the now, but for the long term.”
This story first appeared on CNBC.com. More from CNBC:
