Mayor denies violence, curfew violations
Gov. points to ‘incidents’ in Yuma County as part of reason for statewide curfew
Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls set the record straight Friday, contradicting comments made by Gov. Doug Ducey, who in a Thursday press conference said that he instituted a statewide curfew due to “incidents” across the state, including Yuma County.
“In consultation with law enforcement leaders, there is a statewide curfew through Sunday, June 7, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. This has been through discussion with local leaders and law enforcement,” Ducey said.
“This is a tool for law enforcement to protect law and order and our right to peaceful protest, and part of the reason this was statewide, we did have incidents in Yuma County, Yavapai (County), Prescott, Prescott Valley, Mohave County, Tucson, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler and the West Valley. This was to ensure peace and safety, and so far it has worked.”
Lucy Valencia, a spokeswoman for the mayor, told the Yuma Sun that Nicholls had been receiving a lot of “feedback, questions and pushback” from the public following the governor’s comments.
Mayor Nicholls responded with a statement posted on social media Friday late
afternoon in which he denied any incidents of violence or curfew violations in Yuma.
Nicholls said in the statement: “I called the Governor’s Office myself and the Governor is aware that the protests in Yuma have been peaceful and the Yuma Police Department has not issued any curfew violations. The statewide curfew order was enacted to help Arizona’s public safety personnel reduce destructive violence and looting. The curfew was not specific to the protests in Yuma, as ours have been peaceful.”
In Yuma, hundreds of residents participated in the “I Can’t Breathe Peace Protest” last weekend at the intersection of 24th Street and 4th Avenue. Protesters held up signs on the corners of the intersection and chanted slogans related to racial violence and the Minnesota death of George Floyd in police custody.
After the governor announced the curfew to begin Sunday, May 31, at 8 p.m., protest organizer Brianna Guirola reached a compromise with Police Chief Susan Smith who agreed to let protesters stay until 10 p.m. Guirola did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the recent developments.
On Monday, protesters marched along 4th Avenue to the Yuma County Courthouse on 2nd Avenue. There were no reports of violence, looting or rioting on any of the days of protest. A vandalism incident in which a suspect allegedly wrote obscenities against police on a wall at the police station was reportedly not related to the protests.
Here is the complete statement issued by Nicholls:
“This is a troubled time in our country as we mourn the tragic death of George Floyd and protests of excessive use of force. Unfortunately, violence and rioting further tear our country apart and cannot lead to positive change.
“As mayor, I am personally very proud of the way the people of Yuma have proceeded to protest peacefully, which is truly the exercise of First Amendment rights by the people. And I share the frustration and outrage of the needless death of George Floyd as well as the destructive and dangerously violent rioting.
“Yesterday, June 4, Governor Ducey held a press conference about the status of the two statewide emergencies concerning health and safety. During his comments, the Governor referenced protests around the
state including in Yuma County.
“I called the Governor’s Office myself and the Governor is aware that the protests in Yuma have been peaceful and the Yuma Police Department has not issued any curfew violations. The statewide curfew order was enacted to help Arizona’s public safety personnel
reduce destructive violence and looting. The curfew was not specific to the protests in Yuma, as ours have been peaceful.
“We all must be diligent and focused to stay on message and not allow agitators to drown out otherwise peaceful voices who seek justice and unity.”