City Hall campers set up their own armed security guards

FOX7 tried to speak to one who was on patrol Wednesday morning.

AUSTIN, Texas - The walk in to work for Austin City Council member Mackenzie Kelly sometimes requires the assistance of security.

Kelly provided FOX 7 Austin video of the harassment she was received from one of the homeless individuals camped out at City Hall. The harassment has happened at lunch meetings and at the end of the day. Kelly is targeted because of her support for Prop B which reinstated the city camping ban in public places.

"I wanted to try to understand their perspective and they refused to try and give me any information as to why they were upset they didn’t want to talk," said Kelly.

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Typically ECHO would send volunteers out to count people. This year they had to rely on data from a system that service providers use which paints a very different picture.

When Kelly posted her encounters on social media, interim police chief Joseph Chacon suggested she file a complaint. Wednesday FOX 7 Austin did see some state troopers at city hall speaking with some of the city hall campers.

"It’s frustrating that APD won’t move these people until August," said Kelly.

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Adding to Kelly’s concern is the revelation that the group camped around City Hall has now set up their own security team. FOX7 tried to speak to one who was on patrol Wednesday morning.

"I’m not supposed to be doing any interviews," said the Camp Guard.

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Black leaders and community activists are voicing opposition to how many of the potential homeless campsites are located in East Austin.

Another security team member told FOX 7 Austin that most are armed with knives pipes or with sticks. FOX 7 crews saw few of the weapons but it’s also important to note that carrying a long knife in public is not illegal in Texas.

FOX 7 Austin was also told that the person harassing council member Kelly and others who say they are preparing to fight off any police action do not speak for the entire group. That provides little comfort to Kelly who says some of the harassment has taken place in front of her daughter.

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"If I don’t feel safe at City Hall and I don’t feel it’s safe for my daughter there are other people who feel that way too and I hear from people every single day in the city of Austin that they do not do not feel safe regarding what’s going on in the community," said Kelly.

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The list is preliminary and will change, a spokesperson for the city said.

Ten years ago when the Occupy movement set up camp at City Hall to protest Wall Street, there were Austin police patrols and also undercover officers in the group.

In 2012 city officials broke up the occupy camp at City Hall by requiring reservations and modifying the time for use in the front area known as the free speech zone, a move which included prohibiting overnight protests. The mayor and city manager who did that are no longer in office.

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