Louisville, Ky., aims to head off protests, unrest
Announcement coming on charges in case where police shot Breonna Taylor
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Officials in Kentucky’s largest city were preparing Tuesday for more protests and possible unrest as the public nervously awaits the state attorney general’s announcement about whether he will charge officers in Breonna Taylor’s shooting death.
With timing of the announcement still uncertain, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer declared a state of emergency due to the potential for civil unrest, hours after police said they would restrict access in the city’s downtown area. The mayor and police said they were trying to plan ahead of time to protect both demonstrators and the people who live and work there.
But some involved in protests seeking justice for Taylor questioned why the police were going to such “overkill” lengths when the city has been the site of peaceful protests for months.
Attorney General Daniel Cameron has declined to set a deadline for his decision. Earlier this month, he remarked that “an investigation, if done properly, cannot follow a certain timeline.”
Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said officials from Cameron’s office have promised to try to give authorities a warning.
In a news release Tuesday, the Louisville Metro Police Department said it was placing barricades around Jefferson Square Park, where protests over Taylor’s death have been held, and the perimeter of the downtown area; allowing only pedestrians in the blocks immediately surrounding the park; restricting vehicle traffic in other areas of downtown and limiting access to parking garages.
The department apologized for the inconveniences to workers and downtown residents during the preparations.
“However, public safety is our number one priority, and it would be irresponsible if we did not take preemptive action to preserve it,” the statement said.
Police first mentioned the barricades on Monday, when they also said they had canceled vacations and were denying officers’ requests for time off for the time being.
Federal officials closed the federal courthouse and other federal buildings for the week.
“Our goal is ensuring space and opportunity for potential protesters to gather and express their First Amendment rights after the announcement,” Fischer said. “At the same time, we are preparing for any eventuality to keep everyone safe.”
But Sadiqa Reynolds, who heads the nonprofit Louisville Urban League and lives downtown, described the measures as “overkill.”
“This is certainly an over-response to the local protests that have been happening in our community,” she said, noting that protesters have been demonstrating in and around the city for nearly four months.