DES MOINES, Iowa - A curfew put in place in Polk County due to civil unrest, has been extended until further notice. The Polk County Board of Supervisors has approved the curfew starting at 9 p.m. thru 5 a.m., and will make a decision on whether to further extend the restriction on a daily basis.
The ACLU of Iowa is condemning the Polk County curfew and others in the state, saying County-wide curfews give police too much discretion over whom to arrest and will lead to selective and biased enforcement and risk harassment of people who are unhoused.
Hours after the curfew was announced Monday, businesses from Altoona to West Des Moines began to close early Monday, with some boarding their windows.
Bass Pro Shops in Altona closed at 3 p.m., saying it was "due to circumstances beyond our control." Hy-Vee stores across the area closed between 5 and 8 p.m. Valley West Mall and Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines both closed at 5 p.m., as did some businesses at Valley Junction.