Statement Regarding Protesters at My Personal Residence
On the morning of Friday, August 2, 2024, a small group of protesters came to our home to “demand” that I “un-table” a symbolic ceasefire resolution that was discussed during the April 9, 2024 Mayor and Council Study Session. The group began protesting in front of our home around 5:50AM and proceeded to disturb the peace in our neighborhood, on private property, until Tucson Police Department personnel arrived and the group dissipated.
For context, the symbolic ceasefire item was not tabled in April. The item, brought forward by Council Member Santa Cruz, was discussed and each member of the Mayor & Council spoke on it. Our community was deeply divided at the time, and still is, about their local government “choosing a side” and further dividing our community. When exploring language for a potential symbolic ceasefire resolution with the community, it was clear that there was no path to consensus on resolution language that all parties could agree on.
In an attempt to focus on the safety of our community members, and to try and bring people together instead of further dividing us, I made the following motion, which passed by a vote of 5 to 1:
“I move that we, as a governing body, choose not to schedule or move forward with any resolution, and we instead leave room for each of us to express and advocate our own positions if and/or as we see fit.”
Over the past few years, across our country, our state, and here locally, we have seen a dramatic increase in these types of harassment and intimidation tactics targeted at public servants. As a result, we have seen countless public servants on both sides of the aisle, including many elections officials, leave public service because they no longer felt safe and/or did not want to deal with the harassment, intimidation, and threats any longer. The homes and families of public servants should be off-limits, especially when there are public spaces where peaceful demonstrations are allowed, and even encouraged here in Tucson. These types of intimidation tactics must be condemned.
I have never tolerated intimidation tactics at any point in my life, and I do not intend to now. Showing up at our home and attempting to intimidate me, my husband, and my children will not move me in the direction of requesting to bring a symbolic ceasefire resolution back to the table.
To be as clear and direct as possible to those making this “demand”, and all the community members who have been following this issue since late 2023, I will not request to bring a symbolic ceasefire resolution back to the Mayor & Council table for reconsideration.
Our community remains divided on whether their local government should weigh in on a war in the Middle East. As of March, 2024, at least 100 cities, towns, and villages across the United States have passed symbolic ceasefire resolutions, and yet the war continues. In fact, the war is spreading. Any ceasefire resolution that the City of Tucson would hypothetically pass would be purely symbolic and have no impact on what’s happening on the ground in the region. It would do nothing but create more division in our community.
I have been very clear, since launching my campaign for the Ward 4 seat six years ago, what the scope of the Council Member role is. It’s my job to make sure that Tucsonans are enabled to thrive by ensuring that the City of Tucson delivers high-quality public services to Tucson residents, businesses, non-profit organizations, and visitors. I was elected to focus on public safety, roads and infrastructure, parks and recreation, clean and reliable water delivery service, trash pickup, recycling services, and other city services. My constituents expect me to do the job they hired me for, and there is plenty of work to do.
I want to see the Israel-Hamas war end. I want to see the Israeli and American hostages released, unharmed, to their loved ones. I want to see innocent Palestinian people living in peace and prosperity. I want to see peace in this region. I want to see peace in our community. To me, this looks like the Mayor and Council maintaining focus on what’s in scope for our roles as city leaders, and allowing the federal government and international governing bodies to continue working to negotiate a ceasefire.
