Ahead of planned protests in Houston and across the country over the weekend, leaders in Houston and Harris County aren’t standing for claims that demonstrators could get violent and “riot” in the Bayou City.
Both Mayor John Whitmire and County Judge Lina Hidalgo responded Wednesday to a letter they received Tuesday from Congressman Wesley Hunt, expressing concerns about upcoming protests in the city.
The letter, which was addressed to city and county leaders, copying the Harris County Sheriff and elected constables, encouraged the leaders to prepare law enforcement officials for upcoming No Kings protests, which he referred to as “riots.”
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The protests are planned in 10 communities around Houston, in addition to more than 1,500 cities nationwide on Saturday.
Rep. Hunt also offered federal resources if needed to restore order in the event that protests become violent.
Mayor Whitmire responded during a Houston City Council meeting, saying that the concerns of violent protests that other cities face are not indicative of the protest climate in Houston, adding that he supports the people’s right to protest and believes the demonstrations will remain peaceful.
In response to a question about the letter from District C City Councilmember Abbie Kamin, Whitmire said the following:
“In terms of [Rep. Hunt’s] letter, it was speaking about something that does not exist in Houston, Texas. I’m sorry about the turmoil in our nation, but it does not describe Houston. So, from years of experience, sometimes it’s best to not respond, because we’re all united, encouraging people to use their first amendment rights. I’ve had protesters in front of my house for most of this year, as many as 30... But these protesters had the liberty of being on my front sidewalk, and when they tried to block my exit last July 4th, HPD intervened, peacefully. So, we have a great city, and we encourage people to express their views, and we respect their views. But we’re not other locations. I would really urge and allow all of us to stand united for peaceful demonstrations, and do not let the disruptors infiltrate these groups, that really have their own agenda; it’s not about the current issues. I feel strongly about it. In terms of responding to the letter: No, because it was not speaking to the city that we live in... It was just not relevant to our city and our society.”
Judge Hidalgo, who is away on a foreign trade mission in Paris, echoed the mayor’s sentiments, saying that she respects the rights of the protestors to assemble and believes that the local authorities can handle any situations that may arise.
She released the following statement:
“Harris County remains fully committed to the safety and constitutional rights of all residents. I have full confidence in our local law enforcement agencies, which are fully equipped and prepared to safeguard peaceful demonstrations, while ensuring the well-being of all involved. These agencies bring decades of institutional expertise in managing lawful, large-scale gatherings where our residents can express their constitutional right to peacefully assemble.”
KPRC 2 has reached out to Rep. Hunt for further comment.
Overnight, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on X that the Texas National Guard would be deployed to ensure peace and order, but did not provide specific locations.
“First of all, we want to make sure that what has happened in California does not happen in Texas. Texas is a law and order state, and we will use every tool that we can to ensure order across our state. That includes the deployment of Texas Department of Public Safety officers as well as Texas National Guard in strategic locations where they can provide the most robust response where needed,” Abbott said during a Wednesday news conference. “There is freedom of speech. However, if in your protest you damage somebody’s property or you harm an individual, that’s violating the law and you will be arrested for it.”
