Austin Police Respond to Immigration Protests Amid Growing Tensions

The Austin Police Department (APD) went to an immigration protest in north Austin on Monday night. The protesters were expressing their disagreement with President Donald Trump's immigration policies and the increased activity of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the area.

The APD first noticed the protest around 7 p.m. and warned people about a big crowd near North Lamar Boulevard and Rutland Drive. Protesters continued to wave Central American flags and hold signs after 9 p.m., even though the cops had previously said that the crowd had left.

At 9:45 p.m., a second big crowd gathered at West Rundberg Lane and North Lamar Boulevard, which led to another police reaction. Some protesters drove dangerously, spinning their tires and speeding through streets.

Around 10:15 p.m., police used PepperBalls, which are projectiles containing a pepper spray-like chemical, to disperse the crowd.

This action happened after a weekend protest outside a suspected ICE facility in Pflugerville, showing increasing tensions about immigration enforcement in Texas. As ICE operations grow, there might be more protests and actions by law enforcement in Austin.

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