Louisville declares state of emergency ahead of Breonna Taylor decision
A state of emergency has been declared in Louisville, Kentucky in anticipation of protests as the city awaits an imminent grand jury decision on the police killing of Breonna Taylor.
Taylor, a 26-year-old black emergency medical worker, was shot dead by police serving a no-knock warrant as part of an investigation into an ex-boyfriend.
Her death has become a touchstone for protests against police brutality and racial inequality in the US, with stars including Beyonce writing to officials saying the officers involved should face criminal charges.
An investigation into the shooting is now drawing to a close, with the state attorney general, Daniel Cameron, expected to shortly announce whether he will charge the officers.
In anticipation of that announcement, police in Louisville have restricted access to the city centre and placed barricades around Jefferson Square Park, the site of several protests.
"While we do not know when the Attorney General will make his announcement, LMPD is taking the following actions now to ensure the area is as safe as possible for those coming downtown to express their First Amendment Rights, as well as those who live and work in the area," the Louisville Metro Police Department said on Tuesday.
"We recognise that this is an inconvenience, and will cause difficulty for those that live, work and have business downtown, and we apologise for this inconvenience. However, public safety is our number one priority, and it would be irresponsible if we did not take preemptive action to preserve it," police said.
The department has cancelled holiday time for all its officers in preparation for the grand jury decision and any ensuing protest.
Federal officials have closed the federal courthouse and other federal buildings for the week.
Meanwhile one of the former officers involved in Taylor's shooting has defended himself, telling his fellow policemen "the good guys are demonised" in an mass email to the city's police department, seen by CNN.
In the email, Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly told officers that if they "make a mistake during the most stressful times in your career, the department and FBI ... go after you for civil rights violations."
Ahead of the Kentucky attorney general's announcement, Mr Mattingly said: "Regardless of the outcome today or Wednesday, I know we did the legal, moral and ethical thing that night. It's sad how the good guys are demonised, and criminals are canonised".
The former officer also criticised city officials and police leaders, branding them "pencil pushers". "I'm proof they do not care about you or your family, and you are replaceable," he said.
Taylor, a Black emergency medical worker, was shot eight times on March 13 by officers who entered her home using a no-knock warrant during a narcotics investigation.
The warrant used was connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside the home. The use of no-knock warrants has since been banned by Louisville's Metro Council.
Taylor's death set off a wave of protests in the city, with the demonstrations intensified by the high-profile killings of other unarmed African Americans by police, such as George Floyd in Minneapolis and Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York.
The large protests have at times become violent since they first erupted in late May, but most demonstrations since then have been peaceful, including a massive march outside the Kentucky Derby earlier this month.
Last week, the city of Louisville settled a lawsuit from Taylor's family for $12 million (£9.4 million) and pledged several police reforms as part of the agreement.
