APD Rubber-Stamps Police Violence, Claims Pepper Spray on Protesters "Within Policy"

APD Defends Excessive Force Against Peaceful Protesters, Sparks Outrage

In a brazen display of state violence, the Austin Police Department (APD) has justified an officer’s use of pepper spray on anti-deportation protesters, claiming it "likely fell within policy." This comes after a viral video exposed the officer indiscriminately spraying demonstrators, including those attempting to retreat.

Police Narrative vs. Reality

APD spokeswoman Anna Sabana defended the officer’s actions, stating that the crowd "closed in" during an arrest and that rocks were thrown—a claim unverified by independent witnesses or video evidence. Meanwhile, protesters insist the demonstration was peaceful until police escalated tensions.

APD’s use-of-force policy explicitly prohibits pepper spray on non-violent crowds, yet the department rushed to preemptively exonerate its officers before a full investigation. This follows a pattern of impunity for police violence, particularly against movements challenging state repression.

Broader Crackdown on Dissent

The protest, organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, was in solidarity with Los Angeles activists resisting Trump-era deportation raids—a brutal extension of bipartisan immigration enforcement. APD’s heavy-handed response mirrors nationwide police repression of left-wing dissent, from Black Lives Matter to anti-fascist mobilizations.

Demand Accountability

• Why was pepper spray approved without clear provocation?
• Where is the evidence of "rocks" being thrown?
• When will APD stop acting as an arm of state repression?

This incident underscores the urgent need for community control of police and an end to militarized crackdowns on protest. The people’s right to resist state violence must be defended—no matter what APD’s "policy" claims.