UPDATE 12:10 a.m. Monday

AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN cameras captured people inside a liquor store on East Sixth Street and the Interstate 35 frontage road.

Several people were seen walking inside the World Liquor & Tobacco store around 12:05 a.m. Monday.

Austin police officers were on the way to the area at last report.

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UPDATE 11:40 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The dynamics have shifted during demonstrations in downtown Austin.

Fireworks, water bottles and rocks have been thrown in the area of police officers. Officers have responded with non-lethal shots toward protesters near Austin Police Department headquarters at Interstate 35 and Eighth Street.

Some people are taking cover behind pillars and underneath the I-35 bridge.

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UPDATE 10:50 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — More focused demonstrations are moving to Austin Police Department headquarters from their previous position at the Texas Capitol.

Police officers are taking to the outskirts of the Interstate 35 bridge near Eighth Street — likely to prevent protesters from getting back on the interstate.

Protesters shut down the interstate four times throughout the weekend.

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UPDATE 10:05 P.M.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police officers responded to reports of people inside a Target department store in Central Austin in connection to looting.

Officers didn’t find anyone inside the store at Capital Plaza when they arrived, but items were strewn about and possibly taken from the store.

Windows were also smashed at the Foot Locker in the same shopping center, according to police.

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UPDATE 9:40 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin-Travis County EMS has reported eight protest-related incidents on Sunday.

ATCEMS is asking people to be aware of their surroundings and know your location if you need to call 911.

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UPDATE 8:55 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Crews are working to board up storefronts with plywood at The Domain in north Austin as a precautionary move with protests and reported looting at other businesses across Austin.

KXAN’s Will DuPree reports Nordstrom, Apple, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch & Ben Bridge at the outdoor shopping mall were in the process of covering their windows on Sunday evening.

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UPDATE 7:50 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — For the second time Sunday, protesters have moved on to Interstate 35 near downtown Austin, stopping traffic in the area.

I-35 northbound is moving again, but the southbound side of the interstate remains closed.

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UPDATE 6 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department issued a correction saying smoke and tear gas were used to move crowds off of Interstate 35 Sunday afternoon.

In the video above, demonstrators can be seen moving away from the area following contact with the smoke.

CORRECTION: This is a fluid situation where the safety of the community is always our priority. Smoke and CS gas was deployed to move crowds off of IH-35. https://t.co/FVNe9Zk9K6

— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) May 31, 2020

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UPDATE 5:30 P.M.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Transportation says there remains to be closures and delays on Interstate 35 in Austin due to protesters including a back-up near US Highway 290 East.

Allow time for delays and detours. Police are detouring drivers as needed.

For the third time over the weekend, demonstrators moved onto I-35 in downtown Austin, shutting down the roads.

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UPDATE 4:15 P.M.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — There have been no arrests or citations at the Texas Capitol during protests on Sunday, according to Texas Department of Public Safety.

DPS reports it made two arrests on Saturday that were minor in nature. Several troopers were injured during Saturday demonstrations.

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UPDATE 3:15 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Demonstrations in downtown Austin have moved back toward Interstate 35, closing lanes on both sides of the interstate near 12th Street to Sixth Street Sunday afternoon.

Protests shut down I-35 twice on Saturday afternoon during the demonstrations, snarling traffic on the north and southbound sides. It appears some traffic on the northbound side of I-35 is still able pass through the area.

Protesters are on IH-35 SVRD SB, between 8th and 9th Street and moving onto IH-35 proper. It is unsafe to be on a high speed roadway, and can endanger drivers and pedestrians. Please avoid the area at this time. pic.twitter.com/D8JX54tQel

— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) May 31, 2020

The Texas Department of Transportation is asking drivers to avoid the downtown area, if possible.

Throughout the weekend, protesters have marched through several areas of downtown Austin, including the Texas State Capitol, Austin Police Department headquarters and Austin City Hall.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following protests in Austin, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, Governor Greg Abbott declared a State of Disaster for all of Texas Sunday.

Gov. Abbott ordered thousands more troopers and more than one thousand National Guard to assist the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement in those cities.

“Every Texan and every American has the right to protest and I encourage all Texans to exercise their First Amendment rights,” said Gov. Abbott. 

“However, violence against others and the destruction of property is unacceptable and counterproductive. As protests have turned violent in various areas across the state, it is crucial that we maintain order, uphold public safety, and protect against property damage or loss.

“By authorizing additional federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers we will help protect people’s safety while ensuring that peaceful protesters can continue to make their voices heard.”

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ORIGINAL STORY

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hundreds of protesters gathered at the state capitol Sunday to continue protesting against police brutality despite the official organizers, the Austin Justice Coalition, cancelling the event.

Chas Moore, the executive director of the Austin Justice Coalition, told KXAN that due to protesters “possibly hijacking this event, we could not assure the safety of black folks.”

“White people have colonized the black anger and the black movement in this particular time frame and have used black pain and black outrage to just completely become anarchists in this moment. What we’ve seen in Minneapolis and Atlanta is completely different because those have been black-led uprisings,” said Moore.

“But here in Austin if you look at what happened yesterday, it was predominately white people doing what they want to do and there’s not way with good mind and with a good conscience that we can have this event today because there’s no way possible for us to ensure the safety of black folk.”

Sunday’s peaceful protest was to be called “Justice For them All.” It was organized in memory of Mike Ramos – whose mother Brenda was due to take part – as well as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others killed by police.

Mike Ramos was killed when Austin police officers responded to a 9-1-1 call last month in southeast Austin. The caller told a dispatcher about seeing a man waving a gun and a couple doing drugs in a car.

APD says Ramos didn’t comply with officer commands once they got there and then tried to drive off before he was shot and killed. Police Chief Brian Manley later confirmed that investigators did not find a gun in the car Ramos had been in. A criminal investigation is underway. On Friday, the Travis County District Attorney said she would present the case to a special grand jury.

Mike Ramos’ mother Brenda earlier made a plea to the community asking for a peaceful protest.

“I am heartbroken over the terrible murder of George Floyd. I understand the anger. But I am pleading with the community, please do not commit violence in my son Mike’s name,” she said in her statement.

She went on to ask the community not to give police any excuse to shut down the rally and invited people to join her in “peaceful solidarity” to help get justice for her son.