Wild DPS Response To Peaceful Protest In Austin-Don't Need DPS On Houston Streets

​There was a large and aggressive response of Texas Department of Public Safety troops and other police agencies directed at pro-Palestinian protesters at the U. of Texas in Austin today.

We ask young people to get involved in politics and affairs, and then when they do we suspend them and arrest them.  

(Above is a picture from today in Austin by Ryan Chandler at Austin TV station KXAN.)    

The willingness of DPS to plunge into this situation is in sharp contrast to their lack of action when school children were massacred in Uvalde.  

From the Texas Tribune:

A student walkout protest in support of Palestine at the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday turned increasingly chaotic as the day went by, resulting in at least 30 people being handcuffed and removed from the school, including two members of the media....About 500 students demanded that UT-Austin divest from manufacturers supplying Israel weapons in its strikes on Gaza. They gathered outside the university’s Gregory Gym before moving to the South Lawn, where they had planned to stay into the evening....Officers at the scene donned riot gear and in some cases wielded mace or mounted horses while trying to drive back the protesters. Some officers could be seen pushing protesters with their batons. Several students were pushed to the ground and handcuffed with white plastic ties. Students acting as legal observers frantically shouted to get their names....The demonstration showed no signs of violence before authorities intervened, though police did order the attendees to disperse and warned many that they would be arrested for trespassing.

It was good to see the Texas Democratic Party make a statement: 

“Today, Greg Abbott’s DPS has more courage to arrest peaceful student protesters than when an active shooter entered an elementary school in Uvalde. This is yet another gross misuse of state-funds for campaign ads at the expense of UT students’ safety. It is beyond clear that Greg Abbott does not care about first amendment rights, Texans’ freedoms, the loss of Palestinian life, or Israeli hostages – he only cares about himself. Once again, Texas Republicans are hellbent on placing our basic rights on the chopping block for political gain.”

This is the same Department of Public Safety Houston Mayor John Whitmire has said should be invited to Houston to police our streets. They would be right here in town when we protest a stolen or overturned election, or to help carry out the mass round-up of migrants promised by Donald Trump.      

(Here is DPS proudly showing the Texas Flag and come and take it flag, but not the American Flag. Here is DPS showing up for Greg Abbott and Donald Trump. ) 

​The wild Department of Public Safety and police attack on non-violent protestors today in Austin, is exactly what you'll see in Houston in response to protests or vigils regarding Republican election theft & mass migrant round-ups. It is all connected and headed our way to Houston. 

Let's work together-even when we don't always trust each other-to form networks of action, communication, support, ideas and safety. That is the work of the Houston Democracy Project and that is the task in front of each of us. 
    
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