What you need to know Tuesday:
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Texas officials urge calm after a weekend of protests
While curfews were in effect Monday night in Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio, officials in Texas expressed sympathy with the protesters' anger but also said there would be consequences for those who turn violent during demonstrations. Gov. Greg Abbott will be in Dallas on Tuesday to provide an update on the state's response to the protests, which were sparked by the death of George Floyd, who was killed in Minneapolis custody.
Abbott will be joined by the mayors and police chiefs of Dallas and Fort Worth, the Texas Department of Public Safety director and the adjutant general of the Texas National Guard. Abbott said he has talked with mayors across the state.
Demonstrations in Austin have protested the death of Floyd as well as that of Michael Ramos, an unarmed black man who was fatally shot by an Austin police officer in late April. During one of those demonstrations, police critically injured a 20-year-old black protester Sunday when an officer shot him with "less-lethal" ammunition, according to Austin Police Chief Brian Manley.
As recent demonstrations have brought thousands of people into close contact with one another during the coronavirus pandemic, politicians and health experts have warned that the spread of the disease could hasten. Leaders of Texas’ largest cities balanced statements of support for demonstrators’ rights of free expression with warnings about the public health risks of gathering so closely.
For protesters, the anger has outweighed their fear of getting sick.
“I didn’t care if I was exposed to COVID,” said Renee Lopez, who attended an Austin protest. She tried to stay away from the thickest crowds, but “I had this single-mindedness to go and protest because I feel like I just can’t take it anymore.” — Texas Tribune staff
Texas reports 64,880 coronavirus cases, 1,678 deaths
Texas is expected to release its latest totals of coronavirus cases in the state later Tuesday. On Monday, the reported 593 more cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of known cases to 64,880. In the last week, the state reported an average of 1,273 new cases per day.
Harris County has reported the most cases, 12,276, followed by Dallas County, which has reported 10,234 cases. The Tribune publishes maps of the latest case numbers for each county and case rates per 1,000 residents.
The statewide total of deaths is now at 1,678. In the last week, the state reported an average 22 additional deaths per day. Harris County reported one additional death Monday, bringing its total to 232 deaths, more than any other county.
As of Monday, 1,756 patients are known to be hospitalized in Texas. That’s an increase of 72 patients from Sunday. — Chris Essig
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President Donald Trump urged state and local governments to implement increasingly stronger crackdowns against a backdrop of nationwide protests. Officials in Texas have remained on high alert.
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Because of language barriers, Texas risks leaving some of the state’s marginalized communities even more vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus while making it more difficult to access resources needed to get through the pandemic.
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Protesters’ anger has outweighed their fear of being infected by the coronavirus . Political leaders have sought to balance support for demonstrators’ rights of free expression with warnings about the public health risks of large crowds.
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Austin police shot an unidentified 20-year-old black man with a "less-lethal" weapon Sunday , and he is in critical condition in an Austin hospital, police Chief Brian Manley said.