Saturday, May 30, 2020

Following Last Night's Riots, Mayor Regina Romero Urges Public to Avoid Downtown Protest Tonight

Posted By on Sat, May 30, 2020 at 6:16 PM

click to enlarge Following Last Night's Riots, Mayor Regina Romero Urges Public to Avoid Downtown Protest Tonight
Austin Counts
"I'm going to implore Tucsonans, those that what to effectively make a change to systematic racism in our city, to stay home tonight. Stay home tonight," Romero said. "Come on Monday, come to the Dunbar...we will be unified in our voice against violence."
Following a night of rioting in downtown Tucson, Mayor Regina Romero asked the public to avoid tonight's scheduled downtown protest.

Flanked by Police Chief Chris Magnus and several members of the African-Amerian community during an appearance at City Hall, Romero recommended going to a candlelight vigil set up by Jahmar Anthony with Deejays Against Hunger, youth activist Zion Givens, and Debi Chess Mabie at the Dunbar Pavilion on Monday night at 7 p.m. 

"I'm going to implore Tucsonans, those that what to effectively make a change to systematic racism in our city, to stay home tonight. Stay home tonight," Romero said. "Come on Monday, come to the Dunbar...we will be unified in our voice against violence."

Magnus said there will be more officers on the scene for tonight's protest and warned lawbreakers will spend the night in jail if arrested.

"We are deploying a significantly greater number of officers into the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods," Magnus said." We will be making physical arrests and individuals who commit crimes will not only be arrested, they will be transported to jail. They will be going to jail."

Magnus also said TPD will be closing Congress Street and Broadway Boulevard and several side streets to thru-traffic from 6 p.m. until as long as needed. Transit in the area "will be significantly curtailed" during tonight's protest, Magnus said.

"I'm going to remain both optimistic but cautious that this will be a better night," Magnus said. "I'm hopeful, as the mayor said, this will be an opportunity for peaceful protests that truly make the point that needs to be made. Not violence and property damage that deludes from the message that is so critical right now."