Austin Police Under Fire for Use of Force in Arrest of Transgender Woman

A video of a transgender woman being violently thrown to the ground by police officers during an arrest earlier this month has led people in Austin to call for a review into police use of force.

Member of the Austin City Council José Velásquez and Mike Siegel said in a statement Tuesday that the video was "upsetting" and that someone needed to be held responsible. There was also a voice from Zo Qadri, who said, "Austin must be a safe haven for all."

The Austin Police Department (APD) says that on March 2, police were called to downtown Austin for a "physical disturbance" in a crowd. Police say they saw a drunk person in a black dress trying to start a fight with someone else before reportedly swinging at them.

ABC News says that video from the woman's body camera shows her trying to hit someone before police step in. Before moving in, police blew whistles to get the crowd to move away. APD says the woman refused to be arrested and hit her face on the ground when she stumbled.

The APD's Force Review Unit said the use of force was legal, but city leaders are questioning the decision, and the government is taking "steps to ensure accountability."

The Austin Police Association hasn't said anything yet, and APD hasn't responded to charges that too much force was used.

There is more political unrest about LGBTQ+ rights right now because President Trump is making executive orders that target the trans community. Recently, a federal judge stopped one of these orders that would have kept transgender people out of the service.

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