Texas Lawyer – A Rally of Protest Against Alleged Police Brutality Creates Havoc at a Houston City Hall Meeting
On April 4, 2017, in Houston, Texas, about 20 people gathered at City Hall to demand justice for two people they claim were both killed by Houston police officers: Alva Braziel and Vincent “Vido” Young. Braziel was shot by two Houston police officers in July 2016, and he was armed and had a gun in his hand at the time, which officers claim was pointed in their direction. Young was found dead in a cell at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in an apparent suicide attempt, but family members and friends accuse the police of his death.
Activists claim that they were contacted by a seargeant with the Houston Police Department and two members of the Houston City Council before their rally. They were allegedly asked not to speak at the meeting at City Hall, which they were scheduled to do. Activists claim this was an intimidation tactic to prevent their speaking out against alleged police brutality.
After the rally outside City Hall, those who participated joined Vincent Young’s family to speak at the Houston City Council meeting. The docket was rearranged to place the group almost last. After three hours, they were called to speak. The group expressed their belief that this was a further attempt to silence voices of opposition to law enforcement practices fueled by racism.
Before the family spoke, all of the African American members of the Council member left. When Young’s family spoke, the remaining members of city council were silent and had no response to the group’s accusations of police brutality. Speakers then began verbally attacking Council members, after which they were escorted from City Hall; and it was a chaotic scene. As they were forced to leave the room, they shouted, “Say his name: Vincent Young!”
One of the groups present was Students for a Democratic Society, and a member said he thinks police officers are obviously trying to escape accountability for their crimes. One of the demands the group has is to indict officers for alleged crimes committed.
See this continuing series to learn more about the deaths of Braziel and Young.
–Guest Contributor
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