APD statement regarding banner seen displayed over MoPac

Please see statement below that can be attributed to APD Chief of Police Joseph Chacon.

"Let's be clear. Hate and bigotry have absolutely no place in our community and certainly are not welcome in our police department. Views shared by demonstrators during a protest action over the weekend were abhorrent and do not reflect our values."

"A screen grab from the more than two-hour incident does not tell the whole story. I ask that our community not buy into the hate and images that have been taken out of context on social media. After enduring a barrage of hate speech and personal insults being hurled at them, officers who responded to the scene calmly and professionally carried out their duty to keep drivers on MoPac, bystanders and protesters safe while ensuring that the incident did not escalate and no laws were being broken."

"A supervisor responded to the scene and got a protester to comply with his requests to ensure the scene remained safe. At the conclusion of the conversation, the responding supervisor declined a request for a handshake and instead opted for a fist-bump citing COVID-19 safety protocols."

"APD remains vigilant in its priority in keeping the Austin community safe and holding those who commit crimes accountable."