AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police released additional details about several arrests involving organized protests Friday afternoon where multiple cars obstructed traffic on Interstate Highway 35.
On Friday, a caravan of over 30 cars drove down I-35 towards Austin, organized by the group Rent Strike Austin. In a press release, the group said the caravan was to protest the difficult decisions many in America have had to make, of choosing between rent and other necessities.
The arrest affidavits said police were sent to 905 East Cesar Chavez Street at 1:25 p.m. Police say the call stated traffic between the 800 to 600 block of North Interstate Highway 35 was at a “standstill,” not a slowdown. Police say traffic was backed up past East 11th Street.
The affidavit says that APD’s downtown surveillance system, HALO, saw the traffic come to a stop.
According to the affidavit, two groups of cars were sitting on the highway stopped in each of the three southbound lanes. Police say the cars had banners and were decorated with slogans that read “No Work, No Rent” and “Healthcare is a Human Right.”
Police say they were able to get onto the highway and escort the protesters of the roadway and into a parking lot where multiple people were detained. Those arrested and charged with obstructing a highway include, Dustin Wyatt, 49, Haley Peck, 19, Kaleb Wallace, 20, Shaneal Harun, 22, Aaron Goldman, 31.
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