LeCaire Whitfield, left, Patrick Swartz and John Krikawa board the windows of Krikawa Master Jewelers on E Congress in Tucson on May 30, 2020, after a night of protests and some violence in Tucson left a few businesses with broken windows.

Streets across downtown Tucson will be closed tonight and the city's police department will be out in force as the city braces for another night of protests that on Friday night resulted in fights, smashed windows and other vandalism in the area.

Up to 175 Tucson police officers from across the city faced-off with protesters Friday night. More officers will be on the streets tonight, Chief Chris Magnus said in a news conference Saturday afternoon.

He said streets across the downtown are will be closed beginning at 6 p.m. The area around Congress Street and Broadway will "largely be shut off."

Danitza Hernandez paints "Be Kind" in Spanish on the window of Scented Leaf on E. Congress on May 30, 2020. A loose group of neighbors and residents were putting the symbols on a the windows of downtown merchants in attempt to keep protesters from smashing glass.

Public transit, busses and the street car, will be shut down before then too, Magnus said.

"I'm going to remain optimistic, but cautious, that this will be a better night," Magnus said.

Magnus praised the restraint police officers showed Friday night during hours of confrontations with protesters including officers being hit with rocks, fireworks and bottles. He said four people were arrested during the protest that lasted until nearly 4 a.m. Saturday. At it's largest, the protesters numbers more than 350 people, he said.

Magnus said that the department will be ready on Saturday night to quickly make arrests if an anticipated protest gets out of hand. He said anyone arrested will be booked into jail.

Magnus said shots were fired within 100 yards of the protests Friday night and that several protesters carried weapons. He also said there was an assortment of property damage across downtown and that some protesters even fought among themselves.


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