Protesters gathered in downtown Austin Sunday afternoon, spurred by the deaths of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody Monday, and Michael Ramos, who was shot to death by an Austin police officer in late April.
Chanting, “APD are murderers” and, “No justice, no peace,” protesters marched toward the state Capitol and Austin City Hall. A group began to form next to the fence of the Capitol shortly before 1 p.m., according to a video stream from KVUE.
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At least one person was hit with tear gas, protesters told a Texas Tribune photographer. Officers were mounted on horses and bicycles.
Sunday’s protest was not organized by the Austin Justice Coalition or Black Lives Matter. Organizers from those two groups canceled a planned protest earlier Sunday out of concern that “white folk … and other agitators of color” would have hijacked the event and risked the safety of black protesters there,” according to a statement from the groups. — Clare Proctor