A small group has gathered to honor #Palestine at #Austin Pride. They initially planned to protest an apparent ban on symbols of Palestinian liberation at Pride, but are now having a rally after a meeting and Austin Pride apologized to the Palestinian community.
(edit to update: see thread below. Police actually made multiple arrests from this group as they tried to watch the parade.)
#LGBTQIA #Pride
(Edit: I'm walking this back a little because we don't know who was responsible for the arrests, if Austin Pride requested them or if APD was operating on their own. I'm going to try to get to the bottom of it. I was furious when I wrote this, still furious but more lucid now.)
Austin #Pride lied. People with pro #Palestine symbols are not being allowed in and there has been one arrest. Chemical weapons are out #LGBTQIA
Correction there were 2 arrests tonight, after #Austin Pride falsely claimed people with symbols of Palestinian liberation would be welcome. Have also heard people with flags were removed from the parade area.
Austin Police Department arresting a pro-Palestinian liberation activist at #Austin Pride while a rainbow painted police horse stands guard and the #Pride parade continues in the background. This is why we say cops don't belong at Pride!
(edit: More details at https://youtu.be/ATIxsD157Js)
(edit 2, Oct 2024: read the story behind this photo https://thebarbedwire.com/2024/10/18/you-can-fly-any-flag-at-austin-pride-except-a-palestinian-one/)
Austin Pride has reached out to me, insisting they had no knowledge of or involvement in these arrests and have asked the #police to provide them with more info about how this happened. According to them and some other folks I've spoken to, there were many Palestinian symbols at the parade. So why was this group (and possibly some others) singled out by police?
I've also heard an individual report of another person being removed for having a flag so it seems enforcement was inconsistent and arbitrary. Still trying to get to the bottom of this.
One arrested person has been released and charges were dropped against them. Still waiting for update on the other.
@bloke_zero they are a part of the parade here too. At the same time as they were marching, other officers were threatening us with chemical weapons. One of the police horses that they used during the arrest was painted with rainbows from the parade.
It's that contradiction that is the problem. On the one hand marching whole on the other hand violence against our community.
Mx. Kit O'Connell 🏳️🌈⭐👏
Martin Vermeer FCD
Voline
bloke_zero
Estarriol, Terrorist Dragon
Sheeb