Police Accountability Summit, July 14 2012

Over 200 attended the historic Police Accountability Summit on Saturday, July 14. Austinites from all parts of town and across political ideologies stood united to take back our streets from criminal cops: the young and the young at heart, families with children, and youth groups joined longtime organizers from Austin’s black and latino communities, activists from Occupy Austin and various other organizations, students, and many others including several of Austin’s homeless, to show that Austinites stand together in demanding police accountability.

Peaceful Streets presents cameras to new Community Response Team members committed to holding police accountable.


The Peaceful Streets Project placed 100 cameras in the hands of Austinites committed to holding police accountable in their neighborhoods. Over 40 participated in the first Peaceful Streets Community Response Team copwatch following the Summit. Below is the program of the day’s events.

This is only the beginning. Get involved with the Peaceful Streets Community Response Team and hold police accountable in Austin!

Local artist Samson Barboza presents the family of Byron Carter, Jr. with a painting of their son, shot and killed in 2011 by APD officers who fired into a car in which he was a passenger.

Police Accountability Summit Program
10am – 4pm
(Complimentary breakfast 9am)
Mexitas, 1109 N. IH-35 & E.12th
FREE! Meals and childcare provided!

10am – 10:20am
Welcome
John Bush, Peaceful Streets Project

10:20am – 10:40am
Police Violence & Resistance in Austin

Rene Valdez, Resistencia Books

10:40am – 11:00am
Protect & Serve Each Other
Michael Cargill,
personal safety instructor

11:00am – 11:10am
Supporting Those Charged with Victimless Crimes
Clyde Voluntaryist, Never Take A Plea

11:10am – Noon

Grassroots Organizing in Austin and Beyond
Scott Crow, activist and author,
Black Flags and Windmills
Debbie Russell, Austin community organizer

Noon – 1pm Breakout Sessions (choose one)
Recording Police Encounters
(required for camera recipients)
Harold Gray, PostPolitical.us, JustLive.us

Know Your Rights in Police Encounters

Wayne Krause Yang, attorney and legal director,
Texas Civil Rights Project

1pm Buffet Lunch Served

1:20pm
Robert King, via prerecorded interview
former Black Panther and political prisoner, only freed member of the Angola 3

1:40pm – 2pm
Litigating Police Abuse in Texas
Jim Harrington, attorney, founder and director, Texas Civil Rights Project

2pm – 2:20pm
Paul Hernandez, via prerecorded interview
Austin community organizer, founding member
of the local Brown Berets

2:20pm – 3:10 pm
Panel: Austin Victims of Police Abuse Share Their Testimonies

3:10pm – 3:30pm
Badges Don’t Grant Extra Rights
Pete Eyre, CopBlock.org

3:30pm – 4pm
Closing Remarks & Presenting of Videocameras
Antonio Beuhler, co-founder, Peaceful Streets Project

8pm
COPWATCH!

Regroup in the Mexitas parking lot with cameras and smartphones for the first Peaceful Streets Community Response Team copwatch, with Harold Gray!