Protesters at the Texas Capitol in Austin turned violent on Saturday, overturning one Department of Public Safety vehicle and vandalizing another. The protesters also destroyed property on the grounds of the state’s capitol building.
During a protest that lasted several hours, George Floyd protesters turned violent and began vandalizing property. The protesters overturned a Texas Department of Public Safety vehicle on the Capitol grounds and vandalized another DPS SUV by throwing a rock through a window and bashing the side of the vehicle, according to a tweet by KVUE reporter Bryce Newberry.
Newberry also reported that their photographer witnessed “a mob of people attacking” a DPS trooper at the State Capitol.
A few minutes later, protesters attacked another DPS trooper vehicle parked outside the Texas Governor’s Mansion. The windows of the vehicle appear to be smashed out.
Twitter user Robert @rbrt987 observed what he believed to be the same person vandalizing property on the State Capitol grounds and elsewhere in the city.
Further south, protesters gathered in large numbers around the headquarters of the Austin Police Department. The protesters marched from the Capitol to the police headquarters and then piled onto the neighboring Interstate 35 Highway.
Fox7 reporter Bridget Spencer tweeted that Austin police officers used pepper spray and rubber bullets to control some of the protesters gathered around the headquarters building.
Another Twitter post shows people giving aid to protesters who have been sprayed with pepper spray and shot with rubber bullets.
To help control violent protests around the states, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the deployment of 1,500 DPS troopers to the state’s major cities.
“Texas and America mourn the senseless loss of George Floyd and the actions that led to his death are reprehensible and should be condemned in the strongest terms possible,” Governor Abbott said in a written statement. “As Texans exercise their 1st Amendment rights, it is imperative that order is maintained and private property is protected.”
The governor sent DPS troopers to the cities of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin to maintain public safety, the governor’s office stated. “The Governor and DPS officials have spoken with Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, and Austin Mayor Steve Adler, as well as law enforcement officials in those cities. DPS has sent more than 1,500 officers to assist local police departments. More resources will be provided as needed.”
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.