PITTSBURGH, Pa. (EYT) – Protests in response to the death of George Floyd turned violent in several cities throughout the United States resulting in police vehicles torched, business fronts destroyed, and businesses looted. Similar protests turned violent in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg prompting action by Governor Wolf.

(Photos courtesy Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA.)

In addition to the widespread destruction in Downtown Pittsburgh, police cars were torched and multiple police officers were injured. A citywide curfew was put in place on Saturday night and will continue from 8:30 p.m. on Sunday night until 6:00 a.m. on Monday.

Governor Tom Wolf signed a disaster emergency declaration shortly after 11:00 p.m. on Saturday night to assist Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The declaration will in part allocate $2 million to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to help Allegheny, Philadelphia, and Dauphin Counties. In addition, it will also allow for the activation of the National Guard.

In Harrisburg, hundreds of people gathered at the Capitol building and marched through the city, protesting Floyd’s death and police brutality.

Protestors chanted and held signs that read “no justice, no peace,” and “I can’t breathe.”

The peaceful demonstration later turned chaotic, as police in full riot gear clashed with protestors and, according to witnesses and social media reports, deployed what appeared to be pepper spray.

At the Capitol, a small number of protestors threw plastic bottles at police in riot gear barricading the entrance to the building. Two ambulances stood by.

The mayor of Harrisburg, Eric Papenfuse, said in a tweet two Capitol Police officers were hospitalized and “several patrol cars [were] badly damaged by bricks.”

In a statement, Gov. Tom Wolf noted that across the state “people are protesting violence and injustice that occurs far too often against people of color.”

“Everyone should speak out because no one should be at risk of harm because of oppression or racism. We have seen these injustices happen in the commonwealth, and this week, we were all shaken by the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota,” he said. “As Pennsylvanians protest, I urge everyone involved to be peaceful and to keep each other safe.”

NOTE: The Harrisburg portion of this article by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA.