Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Austin mayor, police chief say city will protect peaceful protesters, stress DPS control of National Guard deployment
Summary
Mayor Kirk Watson and Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis told a news conference the city is prepared to protect the constitutional right to peaceful assembly ahead of planned protests at the state Capitol, but said the decision to make the National Guard available was made by the Texas Department of Public Safety, not the city.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis told reporters at a news conference that the city is prepared to protect the constitutional right to peacefully protest ahead of planned demonstrations at the state Capitol and that Austin Police Department resources will be deployed to preserve public safety.
The mayor and chief emphasized they welcome peaceful expression but warned there will be consequences for violence or property destruction. “I trust the people of Austin,” Mayor Kirk Watson said, and he urged protesters to assemble peacefully and “not become a tool in someone else’s production of chaos.” Chief Lisa Davis said, “APD takes the constitutional right to peacefully assemble seriously,” and described a plan that emphasizes restricting the fewest freedoms possible while targeting violent agitators.
Why this matters: Organizers have announced protests at the state Capitol for Saturday. The announced presence of the Texas National Guard — a decision Watson said was not made by the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
