by Russ Bynum, The Associated Press
Savannah, Ga. (AP) -- The Savannah police chief urged downtown businesses Tuesday against closing during next month’s G-8 summit of world leaders, saying it would be “an overreaction” to concerns about volatile protests.
“We have ample police officers to protect all areas of our business community,” Police Chief Dan Flynn said. “And we really do not like the image of our community being seen as a war zone. That’s not necessary. That’s an overreaction.”
Residents packed a morning Chamber of Commerce meeting on security plans for the June 8-10 summit, which will bring about 5,000 international delegates and journalists to Savannah while President Bush meets with world leaders on Sea Island 80 miles away.
Some businesses in Savannah’s historic downtown have talked of closing and even boarding their windows as if the summit were a hurricane -- prompted by violent protests that have marred past summits.
City officials have approved a permit for a large demonstration expected to bring up to 5,000 protesters to Forsyth Park on the southern edge of the historic district. For weeks, police have run practice drills mobilizing officers in full riot gear in the downtown area.
But Flynn said police plan to “use force as a very last resort” and will keep the armored crowd-control officers out of sight unless needed.
“You can’t get too excited about that -- 5,000 (protesters) is not a lot of people in a park like that,” Flynn said.
Flynn and David Wilkinson, special agent in charge of the Secret Service in Atlanta, gave few details of the overall security plan for Savannah.
Airspace over the city will be virtually shut down for private planes, and waterways in the coastal city will largely be off limits to private boats.
With the summit media center located on Hutchinson Island, directly across the Savannah River from downtown, cars will be barred from the cobblestone riverfront. The island will be off limits to all but credentialed summit attendees.
Bay Street, a busy thoroughfare paralleling the river where three hotels housing summit delegates are located, will be closed to commercial trucks over 2.5 tons as will the Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge crossing the river into South Carolina.
The hotels will be ringed by concrete barriers and security fences.
Wilkinson said the Secret Service isn’t asking any businesses to close because of security. But some near the river wonder whether traffic jams will cause headaches for employees getting to work or trucks making deliveries.
Fred Elmgren, sales manager for a company for Forklifts and Bobcat of Savannah, sells construction equipment just two blocks from the bridge. He said he started calling police last week to find out how best to work around any roads closed to his heavy trucks.
Elmgren said he’s glad the summit’s coming, but he still didn’t get a clear answer after Friday’s meeting with the police chief. Flynn said final details of the traffic plan are still in the works.
“I fully respect they’re trying to put together a plan,” Elmgren said. “But I need to have a plan to notify my customers how I’m going to do business.”