At least three groups of demonstrators announced plans to assemble Monday in the Coachella Valley to denounce police brutality in the wake of the death of George Floyd, whose police custody death in Minneapolis on Memorial Day has sparked civil unrest nationwide.
Protests were planned in Palm Springs and Palm Desert, as well as a vigil in Indio set to begin at 6 p.m. at Miles Avenue Park.
According to Palm Springs police, protesters began assembling downtown around 10 a.m. at South Palm Canyon Drive and East Tahquitz Canyon Way. Sgt. Mike Casavan said no barricades were initially set up as the protest was expected to be peaceful, although the department warned on social media that officers would be ready to respond in the event of any violence.
“As a department, our main priority is protecting life and property. We are prepared to respond to both peaceful protests and any protests that may become violent or destructive,” the department said in a Facebook post.
In Palm Desert, protesters were expected to gather at 5 p.m. near California Pizza Kitchen on El Paseo.
“We are in no way, shape, or form promoting violence,” an unverified Instagram post from an account called coachellavalleyactivists reads.
At least some local business owners weren’t taking any chances, erecting protective plywood barriers over their shop windows Monday morning along El Paseo, the city’s upscale shopping district.
The Palm Desert City Council announced Monday morning that El Paseo would be shuttered to all vehicle traffic this evening during the protest.
“The city’s number one priority is the safety and security of our community,” the city’s Twitter post reads. “We respect the democratic right to demonstrate peacefully and want to ensure the safety of any demonstrators, as well as our residents, workers and visitors.”