A state of emergency was declared and a curfew was put into place after violence and destruction broke out in downtown Buffalo Saturday night.  

The curfew was enacted from 10:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday.

Buffalo police say groups of people tore through the city causing damage and destruction, much of which was caught on surveillance cameras, including one individual who tried to light part of city hall on fire by throwing a burning box into an office building.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said that person will be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent.

Near city hall, a van was set on fire in Niagara Square. Windows were broken along the Main St. corridor.

Parked cars and construction sites were also damaged. One man caught in the middle of things was torn from his car.

“A gentlemen, I believe, was pulled from his vehicle and beaten,” said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. “That does not honor the memory of Michael Brown, or Eric Garner. That’s just out and out horribleness that I don’t think is indicative of the people of this community.”

Brown followed echoed the same sentiment from Poloncarz, calling the events vandalism.

“It wasn’t about George Floyd, it wasn’t about justice,” Brown said. “It was about vandalism. It was about looting…it was about doing damage and that cannot be tolerated.”

Buffalo police say they were able to step in and pull that man to safety to so he could get medical attention.  He was taken to ECMC.

At least 7 people were arrested by buffalo police. Others still face charges.