SALT LAKE CITY — Governor Gary Herbert declared a State of Emergency Monday in advance of further protests and the potential for violence.
It includes closing the State Capitol complex to the public through Saturday "due to civil unrest."
Herbert issued an executive order saying that Saturday's violent protests, which "resulted in bodily injury and destruction of property," along with other factors such as agencies from across the state assisting Salt Lake City Police, the activation of 200 National Guardsmen, Mayor Erin Mendenhall's weekend curfew and newly announced week-long nighttime curfew, all culminated to create a state of emergency.
In an interview with FOX 13, Gov. Herbert said he would keep the Utah National Guard on standby to assist Salt Lake City.
The order stated that Utah code authorizes the governor to "utilize all available resources of state government as reasonably necessary to cope with a state of emergency; and ... to employ measures and give direction to state and local officers and agencies that are reasonable and necessary."
The order closes the State Capitol building and grounds, with the exception of officers and employees of the the state executive, legislative and judicial branches.
Read the executive order here:
