Leghorns Park Investigation Continues, Petaluma Police Chief Says

PETALUMA, CA — Petaluma's police chief said an investigation was continuing into the actions of a man accused of taking down signs, art and other handmade messages hung by community members at a city park.

"Following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis while in police custody, several artists and community members came together to post signs, art and messaging to show support for racial injustice in our country, on the fence surrounding the tennis courts," Petaluma police Chief Ken Savano said in a statement Wednesday."

Savano said although the city's sign ordinance prohibits the placement of signs on public facilities, city officials decided to allow the signs to remain in place so community members could express their concerns and emotions around this important issue.

The chief said because the tennis courts at the park on Sonoma Mountain Parkway are not sanctioned as a public forum area, it has been difficult for officers to enforce any potential acts of vandalism.

"In the interim, our officers have provided extra patrols to help keep the peace while our community is exercising their constitutional rights of free speech," Savano said. "Last week, after the signs were put up for public display, they began to be torn down repeatedly."

The chief said a group of artists and community members started to keep watch, oftentimes overnight, to prevent the signs from being taken down.

When a man walked into the park Saturday and reportedly began tearing down the signs, he was chased away by community members, the chief said.

The same person reportedly came back on a bicycle and tried again to remove the signs, but community blocked him from doing so.

Police were called at that time, and one of the officers who responded led the man away from the group, which Savano said was "standard practice to deescalate the confrontation."

The man left the park and did not talk to the officer, Savano said.

"Not having a reason to detain him, the officer advised police units in the area to be on the lookout for him," Savano said. "He then learned that a community member reported being the victim of a battery and another member reported being the victim of criminal threats."

The same officer responded to the park when the man went back and again tried to remove signs but got in a confrontation with community members, the chief said.

The officer at that point initiated a criminal investigation, and with the help of community members identified the suspect, Savano said.

The investigating officer contacted the suspect Monday night and interviewed him.

Following the interview, the chief said no further disturbances have been reported at the park.

That was of Wednesday morning, but the chief said the investigation was active. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Officer Rafael Cardenas at 707-781-1212 and reference report number 20-2040.