Police in Austin are under fire for their conduct in the late-night arrest of a trans woman outside a bar in the city’s entertainment district. The incident was captured on video by a bystander and at least one police body cam recording.

Cops say they observed a “physical disturbance” in a crowd of people at about 2:30 am on March 2, before identifying “an intoxicated individual in a black dress that was attempting to engage in physical confrontations.”

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“Those involved in the disturbance began to disperse, including the subject in the black dress,” Austin police said. “However, the subject relocated to the side of a nearby building and swung a closed fist twice at the face of another individual. At this time, officers again approached the subject to stop the assault. The officer continued to blow their whistle and called out ‘Austin Police’ to the individual.”

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According to police, the woman began pulling her arms away from the officers. One cop grabbed the individual’s arm and “attempted to turn the subject around by pulling them back… the subject went to the ground on their knees and then hit their face on the ground,” the department said.

The body cam recording backs up the basic facts shared by police, but the bystander’s video tells a different story.

The officer who “attempted to turn the subject around” as she walked away from the altercation can be clearly seen forcefully pulling the trans woman’s left arm down and throwing her to the sidewalk. The body cam footage reveals a large amount of blood where her face hits the pavement.

The violent response shocked bystanders and city officials alike.

“This is how they treat trans people,” one witness can be heard saying on the bystander’s video.

“They just slammed her down,” said another.

Members of the Austin City Council joined in the condemnation.

“We have seen an upsetting video shared online and dated March 2nd showing a trans woman being violently thrown to the pavement by an Austin police officer,” city council members José Velásquez and Mike Siegel said in a joint statement on Tuesday. “We have taken steps to ensure that this excessive use of force is investigated properly and that appropriate action is taken to ensure accountability.”

“At a time when our LGBTQIA+ community is under continuing attacks from the national and state governments, we must do all we can as a City to ensure that all members of our community are safe,” they added.

Council member Zo Qadri said in a statement posted to X on Tuesday that he’s in contact with the Austin Police Department to get answers, “Because Austin must be a safe haven for all.”

“While our State and Federal governments continue to fail our LGBTQIA+ community,” he said, “Austin doesn’t have to.”

While our State and Federal governments continue to fail our LGBTQIA+ community, Austin doesn’t have to.

Please see my full statement regarding recent incidents involving our queer community downtown. pic.twitter.com/d2wWXFRlUv

— Council Member Zo Qadri, District 9 (@CMZoQadri) March 18, 2025

The trans woman, so far unidentified, appears intoxicated. She mumbles, “Am I under arrest?” as cops handcuff and then lead her to a mobile police station parked across the street. Cops say she was evaluated by a medic and arrested for “disorderly conduct-fighting.”

Police added that “a supervisor reviewed the incident on-scene and notified the Force Review Unit of the use of force, which is standard practice.” FRU reviewed the incident and determined the use of force was within law and policy, the statement continued.

It’s unclear how long she was in custody, if she remains in detention, or what, if any, charges were brought against her.

Brigitte Bandit, an Austin drag queen who posted the video, said in the accompanying caption, “I have witnessed what happened when we were filming downtown 6th St. on March 2nd. The guy in the black shirt was harassing her. It’s disgusting also hearing people say this about her as well saying she going to jail, clapping their hands and saying is she a dude. My friend and I were saying to these people she is trans and she is a person and human being. This is definitely not how you treat people at all.”

Others shared scathing reactions in the replies to the cop’s excessive use of force.

“So many cops are just bullies who love an opportunity to abuse women with impunity,” one reply reads.

“gave zero warning, zero time to react,” said another. “whatever the situation was she appeared to be leaving it and he said to put her hands behind her back- then slammed her to the ground in practically the same sentence. what the actual f*ck.”

“Oh are you a big strong man?” another reply about the cop in question read. “Protecting your community? Throwing an unarmed woman to the ground? Holding her arms so she falls on her face? Do you feel big and strong yet? Do you feel justified?”

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