Austin Police Investigating Excessive Force Allegations

Austin police are investigating an incident after video surfaced showing several people being arrested after allegedly jaywalking.

Rolando Ramiro, who posted the video on his OldGold musician Facebook page, said he and his three friends, who were visiting from San Antonio for Fun Fun Fest, were crossing the street against the light at about 2:30 am on November 5. “The lights were already yellow and streets were blocked off, so we kept walking,” he said via e-mail.

The police then flashed their flashlights at the group and asked to see identification. His two friends, identified as Matt and Jeremy, told the police to “fuck off,” Ramiro said. “Cops jumped off their bikes and that’s when I started filming,” he wrote.

The video shows police pushing the two men against the wall, and officers can be seen punching and kicking them. Police can be heard telling the woman that they were taking the two men to jail for crossing at the light. The officer also said that the group was told to not jump on the barricade and they complied. The woman is also handcuffed after trying to assist her friends and saying they didn’t do anything.

Ramiro said via e-mail it was the first night out for the festival and there were no drugs involved. There was light drinking, he said, but no one was intoxicated.

The Austin police said in a press release that they are aware of the incident and are investigating further. Credit: Facebook/Rolando Ramiro