ST. LOUIS — Wear masks and practice social distancing if you plan to attend a rally or protest, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said during her briefing Monday afternoon.
"We can’t stop thinking about COVID," Krewson said. "We know black and brown communities have been more devastated by COVID than white community. We don't want these protests to contribute more to that tragedy."
City workers will go to rally and protest sites and hand out masks, Krewson said. She also urged people to get tested if they begin to experience symptoms.
"COVID is still out there, still being transmitted in our community," she said.
She said key metrics, including hospital admissions and the number of people on ventilators, are on a downward trend.
There have been a total of 1,955 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 130 people have died, according to the city's website. Also, 109 people are currently quarantined due to exposure to the virus.
The mayor said she does not plan to institute a curfew, but will do so if necessary.
Krewson called the death of George Floyd unfathomable.
"It is beyond me how that can happen," she said. "Watching that video makes me gasp ... There's no defending it."
Monday afternoon, a large crowd of protesters gathered outside of the justice center downtown, shutting down lanes of Tucker Boulevard.
