LA Curfew Tonight: Exact Hours, Affected Neighborhoods, and Key Exceptions

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency Tuesday evening and ordered an overnight curfew for a one-square-mile section of downtown Los Angeles after four nights of increasingly volatile protests against federal immigration raids. The “downtown LA curfew” begins at 8 p.m. and lifts at 6 a.m. daily. It stretches from the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway and from the 10 Freeway north to the 5/110 merge, covering the Civic Center, Historic Core and parts of the Fashion District. Bass warned the restrictions could stay in place “for several days,” depending on crowd behavior and guidance from the Los Angeles Police Department. WHY THE CITY IMPOSED A CURFEW • LAPD and CHP have arrested roughly 300 people since Friday, including 205 on Tuesday alone, as some demonstrations turned into vandalism and looting of 23 downtown businesses. • Protesters briefly blocked the 101 Freeway, prompting a heavy National Guard and CHP presence. • City officials say the limited curfew aims to deter property damage without silencing peaceful speech. WHO IS EXEMPT • Residents who live inside the curfew zone • Individuals experiencing homelessness • Credentialed media, health-care workers, first responders and utility crews • Anyone traveling to or from work with proof of employment Violators risk arrest and misdemeanor charges, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell emphasized. WHAT TIME IS THE LA CURFEW TONIGHT? The current order runs 8 p.m.–6 a.m. Officials will announce any changes via NotifyLA text alerts, @MayorOfLA and @LAPDHQ on X (Twitter). HOW LONG WILL THE LA CURFEW LAST? Bass said she will review conditions “night by night,” but expects at least two to three nights of restrictions while police track protest activity and property damage trends. HOW TO AVOID THE IMPACT • Reroute evening commutes around the 5/10/110 corridor. • If you must be downtown, carry ID and work documentation. • Businesses inside the perimeter should secure storefronts before 8 p.m. and verify insurance hotlines. • Metro riders should check real-time detours; some bus lines are skipping stops inside the curfew zone. COMMUNITY REACTION Civil-rights groups criticized the order as an overreach, but the Downtown LA Alliance said merchants “can’t withstand another night of broken windows.” Some protest organizers urged marchers to regroup in Boyle Heights and Echo Park, areas outside the restricted grid. WHAT’S NEXT State and local leaders are pressing the White House to suspend the immigration sweeps that sparked the unrest, while Bass signaled she may expand the LA curfew if violence spreads to other neighborhoods. The City Council is set to hold an emergency session Wednesday morning to review police overtime costs and potential relief funds for damaged small businesses. Residents can sign up for real-time curfew updates and interactive maps at emergency.lacity.gov or by texting “CURFEW” to 888-777.