Fires set, stores damaged as peaceful protests turn violent

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Protesters take to the Art Museum steps in Philadelphia, Saturday, May 30, 2020, during a protest over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Heather Khalifa/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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Philadelphia police, left, confront protesters during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Philadelphia police restrain a man during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd, a black man, was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Philadelphia police confront protesters during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Philadelphia police with bicycles stand near a burning building to contain protesters during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Police prepare to approach protesters during a Justice for George Floyd rally at the MSB on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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Philadelphia police move in past a burning building with bicycles to restrain protesters during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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A woman has milk poured on her after tear gas was released near Broad and Vine in Philadelphia, Saturday, May 30, 2020, after a protest over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Heather Khalifa/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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A protester points at a Philadelphia Police officer during a Justice for George Floyd rally at the MSB, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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A vehicle is on fire behind a protester holding a sign during a rally on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being taken into police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd died after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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A man reacts after tear gas was released near Broad and Vine in Philadelphia, Saturday, May 30, 2020, after a protest over the death of George Floyd who died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Heather Khalifa/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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EDS NOTE: OBSCENITY - Police gather in front of a Starbucks store that is on fire during a protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being taken into police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd died after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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EDS NOTE: OBSCENITY - People jump out of a window at a Starbucks store during a protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being taken into police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd died after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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A protester and a Philadelphia Police officer look at each other during a Justice for George Floyd rally at the MSB on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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Police officers shove back protesters during a Justice for George Floyd rally at the MSB on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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A Starbucks store burns during a protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being taken into police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd died after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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A person walks by as smoke rises from a burning police cruiser in Center City during the Justice for George Floyd rally Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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Protesters jump on a car they overturned near the Municipal Services Building in Philadelphia during a Justice for George Floyd rally, Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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Smoke rises from a fire on a police cruiser in Center City during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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Demonstrators jump on a flipped car in Center City during the Justice for George Floyd rally on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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A protester wears a shirt with the names of those who had lost their lives during incidents with the police including George Floyd at a demonstration at City Hall on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. Floyd died after being restrained while in the custody of the Minneapolis police on Memorial Day in Minnesota. (Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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Joshua Yeboah, 22, of Overbrook, Philadelphia, Protest Organizer, speaks at the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum during a Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia protest death of George Floyd on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Floyd died after a police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air while in custody by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day in Minnesota. (Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

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A man carries a bag from a broken storefront window after the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020 in Philadelphia. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, May 25, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Police confront a man after the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020 in Philadelphia. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, May 25, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Philadelphia police patrol the streets near a bus stop with graffitti after the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020 in Philadelphia. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day, May 25, after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

By RON TODT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Thousands of people gathered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh on Saturday to protest the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, but the peaceful demonstrations later turned violent with police cars set ablaze and protesters smashing store windows and journalists attacked.

Both cities implemented citywide curfews until Sunday morning, and Gov. Tom Wolf signed a disaster emergency declaration to assist cities. The declaration authorizes the adjutant general of the state National Guard and the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner to activate personnel.

“Peaceful protests earlier were touching shows of our collective grief,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Saturday night, just as the city’s curfew hit. “But the anger being displayed this afternoon cannot and will not continue.”

In Pittsburgh, public safety officials said multiple officers were injured and three journalists were attacked or injured by protesters. The injuries weren’t serious, police said. Officials urged people to avoid downtown, where a police vehicle was torched earlier, as demonstrations continued into the evening.

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Earlier Saturday, a crowd gathered at Philadelphia’s City Hall, kneeling for more than eight minutes in honor of Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes. The protesters then marched through Center City to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

At least 13 police officers were injured at several locations throughout Center City, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. A bike officer trying to stop a vehicle carrying people believed involved in a store theft was run over by the car and suffered a broken arm, police said.

There were also injuries to civilians, she said, but specific numbers have not yet been released. At least four police vehicles were set on fire.

Protesters broke windows and grabbed things from store shelves throughout Walnut and Chestnut streets, two major shopping areas downtown.

Protesters sprayed graffiti on a statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo, tried to topple it and set a fire at its base. Rizzo, mayor from 1972 to 1980, was praised by supporters as tough on crime but accused by critics of discriminating against minorities. His 10-foot-tall (3-meter-tall) bronze statue outside the Municipal Services Building, across from City Hall, has been defaced before and is to be moved next year.

Outlaw said that at least nine separate fires were set in the city, to both police cars and structures. A Starbucks coffee kiosk, situated in the plaza in front of City Hall, was set afire.

As of 9 p.m. Saturday, 14 arrests were made, police said.

Kenney, a Democrat, signed an emergency executive order implementing a curfew Saturday night and Sunday night, both from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Only essential workers or those who need medical attention should be outdoors, according to the order.

In Pittsburgh, crowds marched downtown to protest Floyd’s death. Police reported that the crowd near the PPG Arena was mostly peaceful but a group “overtook and destroyed” a marked police vehicle.

Protesters later smashed a glass business front and were dispersed with gas, police said. Pittsburgh Public Safety later reported more business fronts broken out in the downtown area “and protests are entering businesses.”

Wendell Hissrich, the city’s public safety director, said there is “extensive” damage downtown. A curfew is in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday.

In Harrisburg, PennLive.com reports that several hundred people gathered Saturday on the steps of the state Capitol, many standing silently with raised fists. Some chanted “I can’t breathe” and carried signs such as “White Silence is Violence,” “Fight for Your Country” and “No Peace No Justice.”

Wolf’s declaration acknowledged the protests in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The declaration and expanded activation of the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center allocates funds to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, which is authorized to direct emergency operations in Allegheny, Dauphin and Philadelphia counties.