Austin Cops Beat up Animal Activist at Peaceful Protest
Austin, Texas: Only a few days after the anniversary of 9/11, Austin police nearly kill an animal activist at a peaceful protest. On September 19, at a Black Lives Matter / Anti-Police Brutality march, six people were arrested and many others harmed, beaten and maced.
According to The Daily Texan, “The rally against police brutality was held at the Capitol in opposition to a concurrently held Police Lives Matter rally, which garnered a crowd of 2,000 people, according to Austin police.”
“The Police Lives Matter rally started in front of the Austin Police Department headquarters, and members marched up Congress Avenue toward the north and eastern lawns of the Capitol building. The rally was held in honor of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth, who was shot and killed Aug. 28 while
pumping gas.”
Julian Reyes, a well-known animal rights activist was among those beaten and arrested in front of the state capital. Julian’s dog, Shiner Bock, was killed by Austin police in 2013 in the midst of many other notorious dog murders by Austin police. A tribute Facebook page for Shiner Bock has been established to raise awareness for the senseless murders of innocent animals by Austin police.
Reyes was filming the peaceful protest last Saturday with his certified companion service animal, Lizlee, who was also reportedly manhandled by the enraged police force. In the words of Reyes, “I’m a hardcore activist and that I defend our Family dogs from police violence. Well now the Austin Police and DPS grabbed, beat, tazed, and tried to kill me and my trauma support lizard, Lizlee.”
“I’m recovering and in pretty bad shape now. They falsely arrested me while I was filiming them. There is lots of video around of the police abuses. I may have broken ribs, concussion, and cervical neck damage. It’s too early to tell. I can barely walk or breathe. It happened on Saturday and I was charged twice. The National Lawyers Guild was there and they assisted me and 5 others in jail release. But not all the charges have been made clear. Victim-less crimes are no crimes at all. They are Civil issues.”
The city of Austin has become out of control, a police state. Recently, ex-cop Chris Noble running Austin Animal Center threatened me with jail when I arrived to retrieve our rescue dog, LuLu. During the aftermath,American Pit Bull Examiner and Reunion Rescue became involved with Julian Reyes and his struggle to seek justice for the murder of his dog, Shiner Bock. Reyes and companion pet, Lizlee, are regular visitors at Reunion Rescue public events.
The videos and photos of last Saturday’s attack by Austin police against innocent citizens and animal activists like Reyes has become too commonplace and must stop. Please share this story and watch for updates and a petition to demand these atrocities come to an end. Beating people up is not considered ‘weird’….it’s considered abuse of power.
