FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – A day after protests led to property damage downtown, neighbors said the conversation around race needs to continue but the destruction needs to stop.

Pastor Chris Fletcher's congregation from Manna Church spent the day downtown along with hundreds of other volunteers. They helped shop owners board up windows and sweep up broken glass. Fletcher said he was “blown away” by the city's response to Saturday night's events.

Hundreds of protesters had gathered in downtown Fayetteville on Saturday to protest last week's killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, one of many such demonstrations nationwide. The protest itself was peaceful but as the evening wore on, people began smashing windows and looting stores. An arsonist set fire to the historic Market House and accidentally set themselves on fire before onlookers helped them put out the flames. Spectrum News crews witnessed people breaking into stores up and down Skibo Road as police officers raced from one scene to another, struggling to contain the violence.

Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins said none of her officers were hurt during the night. Officials are becoming aware of injuries to civilians, though Hawkins said she didn't yet have any specifics. At least three people have been arrested so far.

Mayor Mitch Colvin has imposed a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Two different protests were planned for Monday. Colvin has asked organizers of those events to postpone them.

“The big elephant in the room in America, not just in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is race relations, ok?” he said. “We have to embrace that, and we have to talk about it, but we have to do it in a way that we hear what each other is saying versus what we saw last night.”

Fletcher struck a similar tone. He said the best way to prevent similar such incidents in the future is to keep a continual dialogue about how to mitigate the effects of racism and economic and social disparities.