Governor Greg Abbott is deploying the Texas National Guard, Department of Public Safety troopers, and tactical teams to Austin ahead of Saturday’s planned “No Kings” protest. Other communities are adding officer hours to protect the public at what's expected to be a massive nationwide wave of protests.
The governor of Texas says the move is intended to prevent violence and property damage during demonstrations expected near the Texas Capitol.
In a statement Thursday, Abbott said the deployment is a precautionary measure to “maintain public order and protect lives and property.”
Critics, however, argue the show of force could discourage peaceful protest and infringe on First Amendment rights.
The “No Kings” protest is being organized by groups opposing government overreach and perceived threats to democratic institutions.
Austin police and state officials say they are coordinating security efforts and monitoring potential disruptions throughout the weekend. On the other side, organizers are telling protesters to know their rights.
"Local organizers are confident that attendance on Saturday will be in the 7,000+ range because of the especially high mobilization and ongoing awareness for the demonstration," the Pasadena team wrote.
They added: "While there were no reported incidents at last June’s demonstration in Pasadena, that was also before our city was besieged by forces from ICE, along with other agencies occasionally lending a hand such as Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Department of Labor (DOL)/Wage and Hour Division."
In light of new levels of federal officers at the local level, they, and others advised participants to know local rules about right to assembly, be well versed in their constitutional freedoms and to stay peaceful and orderly.