Garden Grove orders 6 pm curfew Main Street owners board storefronts

With a protest expected in Garden Grove on Wednesday, the city is declaring a two-night curfew, beginning tonight at 6 p.m.

Residents are to stay off any public street, sidewalk, park or other public place from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday, and businesses remain closed.

"We are asking for the public's cooperation in following the curfew orders so we can ensure the safety of our community, our businesses, and our first responders," Garden Grove City Manager Scott Stiles wrote on the city's website.

Exempt from the curfew are people traveling to and from work, seeking or giving medical care, emergency responders, people who are homeless, and members of the news media.

A flyer circulating on social media announced "a peaceful protest" in Garden Grove beginning with a march at 4 p.m. Wednesday outside City Hall.

Seeing other demonstrations turn violent, business owners on Main Street took precautions and boarded up their storefronts with the help of volunteers Monday and Tuesday.

"We've had so many festivals in Garden Grove. And nothing was as heartwarming as this. All you heard was saws and drills and boards going up in a beautiful spirit," said Maureen Blackmun, president of the Garden Grove Neighborhood Association.

Led by contractor Josh Lindsay, owner of Lindsay Builders, and Ric Lerma, who heads the Downtown Business Association, volunteers worked together "to help their neighbors," Blackmum said.

Garden Grove officials said they joined in condemning the killing of George Floyd by policemen in Minneapolis, an event that has led to peaceful protests and violent demonstrations across the nation.

"Garden Grove fully condemns the senseless actions that led to the inhumane death of George Floyd that should never have happened, and must stop here," said Mayor Steve Jones.

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