Hempstead, TX—Twenty-five activists protested outside the grand jury at the Waller County Courthouse on January 6. The grand jury met to determine whether or not to indict Texas Trooper Brian Encinia for the unlawful arrest of Sandra Bland. Trooper Encinia lied about forcefully removing Bland from her car while yelling, “I will light you up!”

The grand jury decided to indict Texas State Trooper Encinia for perjury, but not for “assault, battery or abuse of his official power.” A few hours later Trooper Encinia found out he was fired.

This follows a recent grand jury decision not to indict any sheriff’s officials or jailers suspected of murdering Sandra Bland. Bland was found hanging dead in her cell with a plastic bag wrapped around her neck, just three days after Trooper Encinia arrested her on a traffic violation.

Houston organizers with the National Black United Front spoke demanding justice for Sandra Bland. Protesters at the rally chanted, “Say Her Name: Sandra Bland!” They then marched around the courthouse chanting, “No justice, and no fear, Sandra Bland marches here!”

Soon after a group of twenty State Troopers marched to the courthouse in military formation, passing the protesters with an officer barking out cadence.

Encinia’s perjury charge is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum $4,000 dollar fine and up to a year in prison. Jinaki Muhammad with the National Black United Front called the misdemeanor charge “a slap in the face to the Bland family.”

Houston activists are upset with the grand jury, the prosecutor, and the whole justice system. The nationwide movement against police crimes continues to grow with each grand jury ruling.

Encinia’s trial begins on January 23, 2017.

#HempsteadTX #PoliceBrutality #PeoplesStruggles #Antiracism #GrandJuries #Texas #SandraBland

Hempstead, TX – Over 300 people gathered on August 9 in front of Waller County Jail, where Sandra Bland was murdered last month. The large crowd rallied to protest racist police brutality and remember its victims. An hour northwest of Houston, people listened to inspiring speeches and uplifting poetry, and then marched around the Waller jailhouse.

Members of the National Black United Front (NBUF) lead the march, chanting, “No Justice, no fear. Sandra Bland lives here!” and “Down with racist police.” After marching for 20 minutes, the protesters entered the jailhouse to demand justice for Sandra Bland.

Suddenly, a line of cops charged at the activists with batons drawn, attempting to force people out of the lobby. The crowd resisted, so the police pulled in a few people, detaining them. Some protesters then began throwing soda cans and bottles at the cops, and showing no fear, protesters clashed with the police.

More police appeared from inside the jailhouse, again attempting to push people out. Their goal was to shut the door and arrest the detained protesters. Next, demonstrators formed a barrier to try to keep the doors open and free their detained comrades. Finally, the cops managed to push through the human barrier, also pushing and old African American man to the ground and banging his head on the concrete. The cops shut the jailhouse doors, locking the detained inside, while a group of activists rushed to help the older man and get him to an ambulance.

The militant protesters began banging on the door and threatening to break it down if the police did not release their fellow protesters immediately. Everyone chanted, “Shame on you!” and “Let them go!” Eventually demonstrators forced the jailhouse doors open, but just then the police sent the detained protesters out of a side door. As everyone was leaving the demonstration, hundreds of riot police showed up with shields, batons and huge police vans.

Treasjure, an organizer with Out of the Flames of Ferguson, said, “The energy here today was amazing and the people were willing to figuratively and literally fight for justice and ensure that Sandra still speaks. This is a good sign that the general public is waking up.”

Activists from Black Lives Matter Texas, Out of the Flames of Ferguson, National Black United Front, Truth 2 Power, and the Texas Organizing Project led the protest and march.

#HempsteadTX #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #SandraBland #BlackLivesMatterTexas #OutOfTheFlamesOfFerguson #NationalBlackUnitedFront #Truth2Power #TexasOrganizingProject