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Caught on camera: heated exchange between pro-choice protestors and Austin Police
Austinites protesting for abortion rights took to the capitol following the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on overturning Roe v Wade. A protestor caught a chaotic situation between APD officers and other protestors on camera.
AUSTIN, Texas - Cell phone video captured a heated exchange between pro-choice protesters and the Austin Police Department.
"It felt like it could have been handled a little bit better," said Kate Law.
Law attended the pro-life protest Tuesday evening in downtown Austin when she captured the chaotic scene right in front of her.
"It just so happened that I was about to record non-police things; just the crowd and the day, then that happened," said Law.
When Law's cell phone video starts, you can see two people on the ground, one eventually gets up while the other is being held down by police. You can then see officers wield pepper spray telling protesters to back up. Later protesters can be heard chanting, "Let them go."
Law continued recording and followed police where she eventually confronted one of the officers on the scene about what she saw.
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Law told FOX 7 Austin she is still not sure why things turned out the way they did.
"I think it was an extreme use of force in a case where that was not necessary. The crowd was not threatening, the crowd was not using violence, the crowd was not causing damage. It was just a peaceful protest that suddenly turn into chaos because the police applied pressure," Law says.
Two people were arrested during the protest for disrupting public duty according to APD.
APD released this statement Thursday:
The Austin Police Department (APD) respects and works to protect an individual's right to peacefully gather and protest. We are aware of the video circulating on social media and local TV stations. With any use of force incident, we will review it to determine compliance with policy and law.