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Austin mayor, police outline preparations for weekend protests, vow to protect peaceful demonstrators
Summary
Mayor Kerk Waresson and Austin Police officials said the city will facilitate peaceful protest while increasing patrols and using surveillance and communication resources; the mayor said decisions about a National Guard presence are controlled by the Texas Department of Public Safety, not the city.
Mayor Kerk Waresson held a press conference in Austin saying the city and the Austin Police Department are prepared to protect people's First Amendment right to peaceful protest while taking steps to prevent violence and property damage ahead of planned demonstrations this weekend.
Waresson said city and police leaders plan an increased officer presence, coordination with protest organizers, real-time public communications in Spanish through ATXN (channel 3) and social media, and use of technology such as drones, motorcycles and an aerial unit to monitor demonstrations. He said officers will focus on removing "agitators" who hide among peaceful participants rather than making mass arrests.
The mayor emphasized that the city will not permit threats or destruction of property and that there will be consequences for those who break the law. He said the decision to deploy the National Guard is not a city decision and is controlled by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Waresson urged residents to protest peacefully and to report suspicious activity by calling 911.
Why it matters: The city's public-safety approach affects protesters, residents, and law enforcement and follows recent unrest in which four officers were injured, Waresson said. Questions about the role of state-level forces have prompted public concern about whether military-style units will operate in Austin.
Details provided at the conference include:
- Increased officer presence and coordination: Waresson said the Austin Police Department will increase officers this weekend and will be in contact with event organizers to facilitate marches and keep demonstrators safe. He said officers will escort demonstrators through traffic as needed and remove individuals whose actions become violent.
- Equipment and tactics: The mayor and police described using drones for surveillance, motorcycles and an aerial unit, and conventional crowd-control tools such as pepper spray and conducted-energy devices (tasers). Waresson said the department aims to limit visible enforcement actions and to have officers wait to remove people until necessary to preserve peaceful protest.
- Communication and transparency: Officials said they will provide information in Spanish on ATXN (channel 3) and on Facebook and Instagram, and will give organizers contact information to report problems during demonstrations (the specific phone number was not specified at the press conference).
- National Guard and state role: Waresson said the governor and state agencies have taken actions separate from city authority. He said the DPS, not APD or the city, controls any National Guard involvement, and the city did not decide to call up the Guard.
- Safety context: Waresson noted that in recent protests four officers were injured and said the city needs to identify and remove agitators who hide among peaceful demonstrators.
No formal policy votes or orders were announced at the press conference. Officials described operational preparations and urged peaceful participation while warning of enforcement for lawbreaking.
