SALT LAKE CITY — In anticipation of scheduled protests, two courthouses in Utah are strategically reducing their staff this Friday as a precautionary measure.
Demonstrations are planned throughout the state, including a significant rally against ICE immigration enforcement set to kick off at 6 p.m. Thursday at Washington Square Park in Salt Lake City.
Officials have announced that both the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City and the Fourth District Courthouse in Provo will request non-essential employees to stay home on Friday.
Chris Palmer, the Utah State Courts director of security, assured that there are no imminent threats to the court system, stating that court operations will continue as usual.
The decision to reduce staff is aimed at minimizing the flow of personnel in and out of downtown Salt Lake City, mitigating potential disruptions to traffic or disruptions that may require staff to be evacuated from the building.
Palmer noted that similar procedures had been enacted in 2020 during times of substantial civil unrest in downtown Salt Lake, which saw protests escalate to rioting and property damage.
In preparation for the upcoming protests, court officials are coordinating with law enforcement, including Salt Lake police, to ensure the courthouse remains accessible for filings and other services.
“Our goal is to always make sure that we’re ready to do that,” Palmer stated about maintaining courthouse accessibility during demonstrations.
Reports from KSL indicate that other buildings and businesses in Salt Lake are taking precautions as well, with employees at the Salt Lake City and County building instructed to leave by 5 p.m. Thursday.
The city spokesperson confirmed that all city services will operate as normal during their regular business hours.
Protests have been a common sight across the country recently, particularly intensifying after President Donald Trump deployed troops to manage unrest in Los Angeles, a move that faced backlash from the governor and other local leaders.
Additional demonstrations are also scheduled for the weekend to align with a military parade in Washington, D.C., set for Saturday.
In Utah, aside from protests against ICE, a series of “No Kings” gatherings are planned for Saturday that advocates are promoting as a national day of defiance against what they consider authoritarianism associated with President Trump’s policies.
The organizers have called for peaceful demonstrations.
State leaders have expressed their commitment to upholding the public’s right to protest while maintaining a strict stance against any illegal activities.
The Utah Department of Public Safety released a statement requesting those participating in the protests to exercise good judgment and remain peaceful.
“Acts of violence, vandalism, or any other criminal behavior will not be tolerated and will be addressed immediately,” the statement emphasized, reaffirming the commitment to both safeguarding the right to protest and the rule of law.
Earlier in the week, Salt Lake police publicly addressed their proactive measures to ensure ample resources are available to maintain operational readiness throughout the duration of the protests.
However, they have declined to disclose specific strategies in managing the anticipated demonstrations.
Brent Weisberg, a spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Police Department, stated, “We are not going to allow for violence, property destruction or criminal activity to occur in our city.
We aim to ensure that these demonstrations are safe, lawful, and that participants can express their beliefs safely and legitimately.”
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