Police will limit downtown Modesto parking ahead of more Black Lives Matter events
Police will ban parking in part of downtown Modesto to help handle Black Lives Matter events expected Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6.
The closures roughly match the area where officers clashed Sunday with some of the demonstrators against George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody.
Parking will not be allowed between 3 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Sunday in much of the area bounded by Ninth, 12th, I and L streets. The closure includes three parking garages.
People will be able to drive out of the area at the end of work late Friday afternoon, but no one will be allowed to drive in, said a Facebook post Thursday by the Modesto Police Department.
The post includes a map of the closures.
Ninth Street details
Ninth Street between I and L will be closed to all traffic at 6 pm. Friday until the conclusion of a candlelight vigil that evening. The vigil, 7:30 p.m. at Tenth Street Place, is one of several sponsored by a group called Central Valley United.
The same stretch of Ninth will be closed to all traffic for an event planned for 9 a.m. Saturday. Details on the gathering were not available as of Thursday evening.
“The Modesto Police Department and City of Modesto recognize the inconvenience these closures may cause, but are committed to taking measures to promote a safe environment for the exercise of Constitutional rights,” the post said.
Nationwide protests
Floyd’s death on May 25 set off protests all around the United States. Derek Chauvin, a since-fired Minneapolis officer, is accused of causing the death by kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Three other fired officers are charged with aiding and abetting the second-degree murder.
Modesto had a protest Saturday, May 30, that was followed by a much larger one the next day. Police said the vast majority of people were peaceful. They arrested 16 on Sunday, mainly for unlawful assembly and resisting police.
A protest Wednesday in Oakdale brought arrests for a few participants but also was mostly peaceful.
This story was originally published June 5, 2020 at 6:40 AM.
