Tampa Has Put A Curfew In Place & It'll Cost You To Break It
In response to the violence that shook the city of Tampa last Saturday, a curfew has been put in place. The Tampa curfew, which runs from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., could cost violators a $500 fine and/or up to 60 days in jail as a second-degree misdemeanor, or $1000 and/or up to a year for the first-degree. The curfew has been enacted until further notice and applies to all residents and businesses of Tampa, but there are a few exceptions.
Some of these exceptions include those returning from or going to work, people seeking medical attention or emergency veterinary care, walking your dog on your residence, and visitors who need to commute for flights, among a few others.
“What I saw last night was not a call for voices to be heard, ideas to affect change or ways to shine a light on inequality,” said Mayor Jane Castor yesterday in a press conference.
“What I saw was shameful, what I saw was heartbreaking. And what I saw did not reflect our community and the values we share. We stand in solidarity with all of the peaceful protests happening in our city and around the country.”
Castor assured residents that no paperwork would be needed if citizens out on essential trips were pulled over by law enforcement during curfew hours, encouraging them to have a simple conversation with officers if questioned.
Following the announcement, Sheriff Chronister of Hillsborough County posted on Twitter announcing that Hillsborough police would not be following Tampa’s lead, deciding against enforcing a curfew for the rest of the county.
The Sherrif stated that he did not want to punish those who are law-abiding citizens for the actions of others.
One hundred guardsmen from the Florida National Guard were also moved to Tampa to assist with supporting local law enforcement in a range of situations, including traffic and crowd control.
Mayor Castor encourages residents and peaceful protestors to stay home and be patient while the city works to put an end to any unrest in order to prevent further property damage and potential injury to citizens.