LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville's dusk-to-dawn curfew is over.
In a news release Monday, Mayor Greg Fischer announced that the curfew he put in place Sept. 23 was allowed to expire at 6:30 a.m.
“The curfew served its purpose of helping ensure that most people were home safe by 9 p.m., because our past experience had shown that most violence and destruction occurs after dark,” Fischer said in the release.
Fischer did mention that violence did still happen since the grand jury decision in the Breonna Taylor case, including the shooting of two Louisville Metro Police officers. One remains hospitalized.
Barriers blocking streets in downtown Louisville will remain, as the city does a daily assessment of the situation. The mayor's office also said street parking will still be restricted and will be assessed like the road blocks.
“We appreciate that the vast majority of protesters over the past several days have been peaceful," Fischer said.
He also thanked LMPD for their hard work in planning and executing the protest plan.
"We will continue the work to become the city of justice, equity, opportunity and peace that we all desire, and deserve," he said.
Downtown business-owners say the road restrictions have been difficult for sales.
"It hurt us a lot," said Youness Elnesyah, owner of Safier Mediterranean Deli. "Like the first couple days, we made a lot of food, and nobody could come to pick it up."
He said trying to make it through COVID-19 as a small business was tough, and now, he's trying to get people to his restaurant with some detours in place.
"It's very hard now, especially now," Elnesyah said, pointing at the boards covering his windows. "We're kind of hiding. We feel like we're in jail."
Apartment complexes are also still leasing downtown.
Robeij Brown works and lives at Edge on 4th and is learning to navigate the blocked-off grid of downtown.
"The officers that do the spots at the barricades, they ask you what is you business here, and I show them my ID that I live here," he said. "I haven't personally had any issues with it."
"I just hope that (Louisville) heals and that peace does come soon," he said.
There are several entry and exit points into and out of downtown Louisville. For a list of locations, click here.
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