Mecklinberg County and the City of Charlotte have declared a state of emergency Saturday.
The city and county issued a joint proclamation which allows the local governments to potentially prevent price gouging, establish a curfew, restrict access to certain businesses and prohibit the sale of alcohol among other restrictions.
"Hopefully they will not be needed," Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said during a Saturday press conference. "Hopefully we don't have to go to that level or extent to keep order and peace."The declaration comes on the heels of protests Friday night that led to nearly a dozen arrests.
Citizens were protesting for George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died in Police custody while officers arrested him.
Video of the arrest sparked outrage nationally as citizens called for the arrest of four officers involved. One policeman, who was seen in the video with his knee on Floyd's neck, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.