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'Stop BTU COVID Cutoffs' protest planned at Bryan City Hall Tuesday

Organizers are encouraging protesters to wear cutoffs to demonstrate against Bryan Texas Utilities.

BRYAN, Texas — Demonstrators are planning to protest outside Bryan City Hall Tuesday in an effort to get city officials to listen to demands over service disconnections by Bryan Texas Utilities.

Organizers want Mayor Andrew Nelson and city council members to put an end to what they are calling 'COVID cutoffs', or service disconnections that are being done by Bryan Texas Utilities while COVID cases continue to be diagnosed in the service area.

Organizers said the protesters have two demands. The first is that the city council forces BTU to stop utility cutoffs until there are zero COVID-19 cases in the service area. The second is to permanently put an end to disconnect fees, reconnect fees and extra deposit payments that are required when utilities are shut off due to poverty circumstances.

RELATED: 'No COVID Cutoffs' | Protesters make demands to Bryan Texas Utilities

Dan Kiniry, one of the organizers of the protests, is also one of the organizers of a GoFundMe account that is raising money to help people in Bryan who are struggling to pay their utility bill. You must be prepared to send a copy of your bill to a link provided in the GoFundMe account.

On July 15, 2020, BTU will begin disconnections of past due utility accounts in the Brazos Valley. Numerous people are in the process of petitioning BTU and the local governments to cancel late fees, penalties, increased deposits and reconnection/disconnection fees.

The protest is expected to take place at 4:30 p.m. in front of Bryan City Hall at 300 South Texas Avenue. Organizers are asking for people who are wanting to come protest to wear a mask and maintain at least 10 feet for social distancing. They are also encouraging people to wear cutoffs to protest in.

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