Thanks to our new Councilor Theo Offei, I was able to attend the “No Kings Rally” in Watertown Square this past Saturday, March 28th. There was over 1,000 people in attendance. Conspicuously absent was the City Manager George Proakis, Council President Mark Sideris and Public Safety.
Police Public Safety; Traffic Details, are common for an event of this size and common sense would tell you that a significant number of residents would be gathering in the Square.
We have seniors, people with disabilities and residents from the Perkins School for the Blind and there were no safety procedures in place to ensure their safety. Councilor Vinnie Piccirilli had to serve as a traffic monitor, undertaking the task of getting people safely across Galen Street.
Watertown is in the final stages of a major study of the Square — an area where current conditions already raise serious safety concerns for residents, pedestrians, and drivers. When a large public gathering takes place in that environment, my question is whether the future is more important than the current safety of people in the Square today?
Given the safety concerns, the Town Manager has a responsibility to be physically present during high‑visibility events such as Saturday’s rally. Leadership presence is a core part of ensuring that activities proceed safely and that residents feel supported and protected.
Best,
Clyde Younger
Watertown Resident
It’s perfectly fitting that the Council President and City Manager not participate in a highly partisan event.
If the organizer of this event want a police detail, thry should call the Police ahead of time and hire a detail. That’s what other organizations do.
The taxpayers shouldn’t have to fund Police details every group that decides it wants to hold an event.
No taxpayer money should go ever towards funding a private group gathering. It’s scary that this even needs to be said. You want police detail? You pay for it. End of story.