Grand jury indicts 19 Austin police officers on assault charges over Black Lives Matter protests, report says
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Up to 19 police officers in Austin, Texas have been indicted by a grand jury on charges of aggravated assault relating to their actions during Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the Associated Press has reported.
In what would represent one of the largest actions against individual officers from a single force for many years, it was reported that charges had been brought against the officers almost two years after protests across the country resulted in clashes between protesters and police.
The news of the charges - initially it was reported that nine officers had been indicted - came as the city of Austin agreed a a $10 million settlement with two men shot by police with beanbag rounds.
Just last week, the city’s Austin American-Statesman newspaper reported that the grand jury was considering charges for up to 18 officers.
“We believe many protesters injured by law enforcement officers during the protest were innocent bystanders. We also believe that the overwhelming majority of victims in the incidents that were investigated suffered significant injuries,” Joe Garza, the Travis County District Attorney, said during a press conference on Thursday where details of the charges were revealed.
He added: “Some will never fully recover.”
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