Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer placed the city under a state of emergency on Tuesday as the world awaits a decision for the Breonna Taylor case.
Fischer signed two executive orders in preparation for an announcement from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Taylor died on March 13 after officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department stormed her home on a search warrant related to her ex-boyfriend’s drug case investigation. No one has been charged for her death. One of the three officers involved was fired but the other two remain employed with the department.
“Again, we do not know when the announcement will come, but we must prepare for it. Our goal is ensuring space and opportunity for potential protesters to gather and express their First Amendment rights after the announcement,” Fischer said. “At the same time, we are preparing for any eventuality to keep everyone safe.”
The first executive order allows the mayor to use his emergency powers “due to the potential for civil unrest.” Those abilities include the implementation of a curfew and the hiring or contracting of services. Fischer’s second order bars on-street parking and blocks access to five parking garages in downtown Louisville.
Fischer’s order comes a day after Louisville Metro Police interim Chief Robert Schroeder issued a state of emergency for the department.
Under his order, requests for time off have been denied and officers will be required to work 12-hour shifts. Like Fischer, LMPD denied knowing when the decision would be announced. Schroeder’s directive included plans for barricades to be erected around the city.
“The public may also see barriers being staged around downtown, which is another part of our preparations,” police spokesman Sgt. Lamont Washington told CNN.
In addition to the restrictions, The Gene Snyder United States Courthouse will be closed until Friday, per an order from Greg Stivers, the chief U.S. District Court judge for Western Kentucky. CNN reports the courthouse’s windows were boarded up and the city’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office will also be closed.
Last Tuesday, the legal team representing Taylor’s family and Fischer announced the former would receive a $12 million settlement from the city.
