Austin police warn of “armed” rioters planning to access buildings

By
Jon Heltzel
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Per Gary Faust:

Residents of La Vista de Guadalupe, a downtown Austin apartment building, have received a notice from management stating that @Austin_Police have informed them armed protesters may have “plans to get on top of buildings along the I-35 frontage road” during #austinprotests today.

Fox News reports groups of protesters began arriving in Austin, Texas, on Saturday evening amid warnings to the public from local police about potential trouble as the night progresses.

Residents of several apartment complexes near police department headquarters had received letters from property managers, warning that “armed” protesters may try to access the buildings to get a better view of the protests below, FOX 7 of Austin reported.

“Keep your eyes open for anyone that might be on the roof or upper balconies,” one warning letter said.

More than 100 Austin police officers – many of them in riot gear, or riding horses or bicycles – were deployed in the capital city of Texas in a bid to minimize rioting and vandalism, the Austin American Statesman reported.

Officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety also were deployed, the Statesman reported.

By midnight Sunday local time, protest organizers claimed, police had arrested or detained at least 20 people, according to the newspaper. But police would not immediately confirm the number, adding more information would be available Sunday or Monday.