Austin "No Kings" protests: 3 arrested, 3 officers injured, says APD
'No Kings" protests in Austin
FOX 7 Austin's Rudy Koski has a look at the protests that took place at the Texas Capitol and then moved onto the streets for a period of time.
AUSTIN, Texas - Three people were arrested and three officers were injured during Saturday's "No Kings" protests in downtown Austin, according to the Austin Police Department.
What happened at the protests?
What we know:
APD provided a timeline of its actions during the protests on Saturday, which began at around 5 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol.
APD says its officers were walking around the Capitol grounds in light blue vests, engaging in "dialogue policing" and talking with attendees.
Due to the high volume of pedestrian traffic, APD closed 11th Street in both directions, eastbound at San Jacinto Blvd., and westbound at Lavaca St. Congress Avenue was also shut down in both directions.
"No Kings" protests pass through Texas
Thousands of demonstrators in Austin and around the country protested against the Trump administration. Capitol grounds closed around 8 and marched to the federal building.
The protest concluded at around 8 p.m., and large groups were still walking in the roadways at various points on Congress Avenue, 6th Street, Lavaca Street and 9th Street until about 11 p.m. after APD issued requests to disperse.
APD and DPS worked together to safely block traffic and allow the march to proceed, says the department, adding that outside of a few agitators, the event remained largely peaceful.
Uses of force
APD says that there were instances of use of force by its officers, including:
- Pepperball used by one officer, one round for throwing objects
- Takedown by one officer, assisting DPS on arrest
- Takedown by two officers and assisted by one other officer (level 4) to make an arrest for obstructing the roadway/evading
As is standard protocol, the use of force was reported and is currently going through the Force Review Unit process.
"No Kings" protests across Texas
From Dallas to Houston to San Antonio, demonstrators gathered to protest President Trump and his administration's actions.
The arrests
Three people were arrested on Saturday:
- Ravigopal, Sanjay - obstructing highway or other passageway (Class B misdemeanor)
- Glasse, Julien - obstructing highway or other passageway (Class B misdemeanor), evading arrest or detention on foot (Class A misdemeanor)
- Hardin, Karrington - obstructing highway or other passageway (Class B misdemeanor)
Officers injured
Three officers were injured:
- One officer - knee injury while making arrest
- One officer - subject pointer laser in officer's eye, not identified, no arrest
- One officer - left hand injury while making arrest
What they're saying:
"I want to thank our Austin Police Department Officers and Texas Department of Public Safety partners for handling this event with professionalism, dedication and commitment," said Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. "I also want to thank our community for helping keep the evening peaceful. Through our coordinated efforts, we were all able to keep one another safe."
What's next:
APD says it will continue to have an increased and visible presence throughout the city due to the potential of additional protests.
The department says it will also "continue to leverage technology to help us monitor and respond more effectively to unfolding events."
What you can do:
APD is urging anyone who chooses to participate in any demonstration to do so peacefully.
Anyone who witnesses suspicious or dangerous behavior is urged to report it immediately by calling 911, and proceed to leave the scene.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the Austin Police Department