Residents demand repeal of Modesto mask ordinance after June 14 arrests; council says review will proceed

Dozens of Modesto residents told the City Council on June 24 that police used excessive force and discriminatory tactics at two protests on June 14, and they asked the council to repeal Modesto Municipal Code 4‑23.02, subsection 13 — the city's mask rule for demonstrations — and to drop charges against people who were arrested.

Speakers described arrests they said were made without warning, often by officers who arrived in unmarked vehicles and tactical gear. Giancarlo, a representative of the Central Valley Black Indigenous People of Color Coalition, asked the council for a "full repeal of Modesto Municipal Code 4‑23.02, section 13," and called for an independent investigation and immediate dismissal of arrests from June 14. Harlan Diven, a local attorney, said the arrests looked "pretextual" and that several people taken into custody were unhoused youth.

Why it matters: protesters and many community groups said the code is being enforced selectively and has chilled the right to protest in Modesto. Speakers requested specific remedies: repeal of the ordinance, an independent investigation of Modesto Police Department tactics at the June 14 events, and removal of charges from arrested people's records. Several speakers said medical or safety reasons led them to wear masks and that the ordinance prevented officers from asking about exemptions.

Details and evidence: multiple speakers recounted a similar pattern. Emmaunel Lopez and others described people pulled from crowds and put into vans without explanation. One person who said he was among the seven people arrested on June 14, Isaac, thanked the public for support. Nora, of North Central Valley DSA, said the city's prior presentation about the ordinance relied on imagery from other jurisdictions and warned the law could be used to target local demonstrations. Speakers also said Modesto police at times carried firearms, used aggressive tactics and did not ask detained people whether they had medical or religious exemptions that the ordinance allows.

Council response and next steps: council members heard extensive public comment and several said they had been listening closely. Council member Ricky announced that the Community Police Review Board will receive a presentation from the Modesto Police Department about the June 14 protests at its next meeting and that the board will review the ordinance and related complaints. Mayor Zwolan and other council members said they appreciated public input and that the council would consider the concerns raised. No vote to repeal or amend the ordinance occurred at the June 24 meeting.

What was not decided: the council did not vote to repeal municipal code 4‑23.02(13), nor did it vote to direct immediate dismissal of arrests; those requests were made by speakers and will be addressed through the review process described above. Several speakers also asked the council to expand the Community Police Review Board's authority; the council did not adopt such a change on June 24.

Taper: speakers and multiple council members indicated further review will continue in the Community Police Review Board and other forums; those processes, and any formal council actions that follow, were not decided at the June 24 meeting.