Austin City Council has called a special video conference meeting for Thursday, June 4 to serve as a “briefing on protests in the city, including protocol and practices employed.”
On Monday, Councilmember Greg Casar tweeted that he and his colleagues were calling for emergency hearings on Black Lives Matter demands and police tactics during the weekend’s protests.
My colleagues and I are calling for emergency Council hearings on:
1) #BlackLivesMatter demands
2) Police tactics during the #AustinProtestsWe have to change this system, and all people deserve to be safe during these demonstrations.
— Gregorio Casar (@GregCasar) June 1, 2020
Mayor Steve Adler has discussed the sort of de-escalation training Austin police go through for situations like the protests and said that “the city police showed a particularly different kind of restraint with the respect that the demonstration was closing City roads. So, that is to back off and give people the opportunity for First Amendment expression, but I-35 is something that has to remain open.”
We have to change this system, and all people deserve to be safe during these demonstrations.
Starting with an unplanned protest late Friday night and continuing with planned events Saturday and Sunday, protesters spread throughout Downtown Austin for hours over the weekend, concentrating on the Austin Police Department headquarters, the Texas State Capitol and City Hall.
The protests were in response to the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Michael Ramos in Austin. Protesters said the demonstrations were intended to bring attention to larger issues of systemic racism and police brutality.
Full details about the Special Called Meeting are available on the City’s website, including information on how you can watch online.
