PHOENIX – Arizona leaders are warning people who participate in Saturday’s “No Kings” protests to exercise their First Amendment rights peacefully — or face consequences.
“Arizonans have a right to peaceful assembly and protest, and I am fully committed to defending that right,” Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a statement Friday. “However, that right does not extend to damaging property, committing violence or rioting. Violence of any kind will not be tolerated.”
Attorney General Kris Mayes voiced a similar sentiment.
“Individuals who break the law, incite violence or damage public or private property will be held accountable under Arizona law,” Mayes said in a statement. “I urge all Arizonans participating in tomorrow’s events to exercise their rights peacefully.”
What are ‘No Kings’ protests?
Activists planned No Kings events across the country to counter President Donald Trump’s planned military parade in Washington, D.C.
One of the protests is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.
Multiple state and local law enforcement agencies recently issued statements regarding their roles in public demonstrations, including the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Phoenix Police Department and Scottsdale Police Department.
“Our role is to protect both public safety and constitutional rights,” DPS Director Jeffrey Glover said in a statement Friday.
Meanwhile, District of Arizona U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine warned about agitators who might use the protests to incite riots.
“We want to be abundantly clear – the constitutional right to peacefully protest must be protected,” Courchaine said in a social media post. “However, there are entities who are using that right as a cover to perpetrate violence, rioting and destruction in our streets. That behavior cannot be tolerated.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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