Austin Protesters Eye Economic Boycott, Police Defunding

AUSTIN, TX — Protests against police brutality continued on Wednesday with demonstrations that were more subdued — yet spirited — than those over the weekend that sparked incidents of violence.

People demonstrating against the death of Michael Ramos, who died in South Austin on April 24, and George Floyd, who died May 25 in Minneapolis, have been expressing their ire at police since Friday. A caller told police Ramos had been brandishing a firearm outside an apartment complex, leading to a police confrontation. While he fled in his car after being hit by a beanbag projectile, an officer fired his rifle. Floyd died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest, an incident which was caught on video and has sparked protests and unrest across the country.

Anger at the deaths was raw over the weekend, leading to confrontations with police that led to injuries. A 16-year-old teenager and a 20-year-old who were demonstrating are currently hospitalized after being hit in the head with an impact projectile over the weekend. A third protester, a pregnant African American woman, was hit in the belly by a similar munition.

The crowds on Wednesday were decidedly calmer, although there were occasional reports from protesters on social media describing the use of pepper spray from law enforcement to disperse crowds. Austin police officers seemed more accessible than in previous days, happily posing for pictures.

Palpable tension between police and demonstrators dissipated by Wednesday, as illustrated by two officers amenable to being photographed. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

On Wednesday, the Austin Police Department released a video message from Austin Police Chief Brian Manley recorded on May 29, prior to the Austin protests, as a message to the police department's personnel — days after Floyd's death.

In the recorded message, Manley described the visceral reaction he had upon watching the video of Floyd's last moments: "As I look at that video — not as a police professional but just as a fellow human being — I'm sickened to my core at the complete apathy displayed by those officers as they knelt on Mr. Floyd, taking his breath from him, ignoring his pleas for breath, ignoring his calls for his mother, and did so for many minutes as he breathed his last breaths. It hurts."

He described what the video represented from a law enforcement perspective: "But as police professionals, when we look at that we realize the complete total failure of a system that we sworn an oath to — officers that displayed no care for the well-being of someone in their custody, who displayed no care for the humanity of Mr. Floyd, ultimately resulting in his death. That is a stain on our profession that we will never rid ourselves of, and it is a loss of a life for a family and a community that can never be undone."

He then offered his rank and file guidance on dealing with a public seeking struggling to understand how Floyd's death came to pass: "I urge you in the days and weeks ahead to be mindful of this — and to understand we have a community that is hurting right now, a community that has a lot of questions — and give that extra ounce of care when you're out there, that extra ounce of deference, understanding where we are at right now as a society coming to terms with what happened. So again, I implore you to exercise patience. And as we tell each graduating cadet class, as you're packing your gear bag for the evening shift, make sure you pack your empathy in there as well."

As they have done since protests broke out in the state capital, demonstrators on Wednesday marched to the downtown Austin Police Department chanting "black lives matter" as they walked. Demonstrators also gathered outside the gates of the Capitol, with music from Bob Marley wafting in the air.

Crowds were sparse at around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday outside the gates to the Capitol grounds before growing considerably by early evening. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

Protesters decrying police brutality descended to the gates of the Texas Capitol on Wednesday. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

But what had the markings of a summer festival was juxtaposed with the jarring sight of law enforcement officials in full tactical gear, standing at the ready should the crowd be perceived to be getting out of hand. But the night was peaceful, with no major incidents reported, as the crowds increased in size and the afternoon yielded to the evening hours.

Family members have since identified the teen who was injured as Brad Levi Ayala, and have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help defray hospital costs — raising nearly $62,000 at last check. "He is only 16 and his family is struggling to pay the medical bills and recover from this tragedy," family members wrote on the fundraising page, accompanying the narrative with photos of the bloody teen at the protest scene as well as images of the boy being treated at a hospital.

On Wednesday, the Texas A&M student newspaper The Battalion identified the injured 20-year-old protester — now in critical condition at an area hospital "fighting for his life," — as Justin Howell. The victim's brother, a writer for the student-run newspaper wrote an op-ed that the protester sustained a fractured skull and brain damage.

Patch reached out to the Austin Police Department with a series of questions related to police engagement with protesters after the weekend was marred with violence. Questions were posed related to whether police will continue us of impact projectiles and if the officers involved in the incidents that left protesters injured would face discipline. The police department did not immediately respond.

As protests enter a new week, demonstrators' tactics in expressing their ire at police brutality appear headed toward economic boycott. Signs popped up across the city announcing plans to curb spending on July 7 to show the power of the black community. The sign below from local Black Lives Matter activists was seen outside a restaurant popular with UT-Austin students, affixed to a utility pole.

Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

The Austin Justice Coalition is taking more drastic steps, calling for the Austin City Council to defund the Austin Police Department in favor of resources designed to protect the community.

"In the wake of the senseless murders of Mike Ramos, George Floyd, Brionna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless others, and the Austin Police Department's escalated violence against the city's grieving community, Austin is in desperate need of courageous leadership," officials wrote in an emailed advisory. "Communities around the world are rising up to call to an end the killing of black people and demand change that lives up the creed:

To that end, Austin Justice Coalition members plan to address council members during their regular meeting scheduled on Thursday: "We are calling on the Austin City Council to become these courageous leaders by pledging to defund the Austin Police Department and invest in the resources that really keep us safe and healthy, especially in black communities, Indigenous communities and communities of color."

The group listed its demands, crediting Grassroots Leadership officials for helping craft its #DefundThePolice initiative. Among the demands to be presented to city council members:

• The firing of officers involved in the shooting Ramos, as well as terminating Manley.
• Divest from Austin Police Department.
• Invest in health, housing & direct pandemic assistance by reallocating at least $70 million for the RISE fund to cover basic needs of Austin families most impacted by the pandemic.

"Our city is on edge, our people are hurting, and black communities are crying out for health and safety in the midst of a pandemic," Austin Justice Coalition official wrote. "Now is the time to invest in a safe, liberated future for our city. We can't afford to keep funding APD's attacks on black lives.

Austin Justice Officials outlined ways others can assist in the effort by taking three actions:

• Fill out this city of Austin budget survey, decreasing Austin Police Department funding to the minimum possible and increasing funding for Austin Public Health, EMS, Neighborhood Housing Community Development, Parks and Recreation, and other resources that give our community the resources needed to thrive.
• Register to speak at the City Council meeting on Thursday before noon TODAY in support of Items 40 and 49 and against Item 7 at the regular meeting and SPEC001 in the special called meeting.
• Thursday beginning at 9:15 a.m. (regular meeting) and 3 p.m. (special meeting): Tell City Council to defund the Austin Police Department, beginning with cutting the following programs that overtly perpetuate racial profiling and a culture of violence:
  • funding for new officers and the new cadet class,
  • weapons used against protesters,
  • the Fusion Center,
  • surveillance,
  • driver license readers
  • and the Austin ISD police force.