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Peaceful Streets Project leader Antonio Buehler arrested again recording Austin police

| September 21, 2012
antonio buehler 01 e1348251364179 Peaceful Streets Project leader Antonio Buehler arrested again recording Austin police

Antonio Buehler

The ongoing battle between activist Antonio Buehler and the Austin Police Department continues to escalate. Buehler was arrested for the third time this year early Friday morning. It’s his second arrest in as many months.

According to the Peaceful Streets Facebook page:

The arrest took place at 1219 W. 6th St. near Pressler after Peaceful Streets Project members pulled their car over to witness a DWI stop. They were approximately 30′ away from the detention when none-other-than Officer Oborski (the arresting officer of Buehler last New Year’s Eve-photo attached, taken by Buehler recently) shined a flashlight in Buehler’s face, yelling, “Mr. Buehler, back up!”

Buehler asked, “how far?” but Oborski didn’t respond. Buehler asked a second time, “how far?” while already backing up, yet still Oborski wouldn’t respond. By this time, Buehler and Dickerson were 40′ away.

This is Buehler’s second run in with the two officers Oborski and Johnson. Their first run-in was on New Year’s Eve, when they arrested Buehler for interfering in the arrest of two women during a DWI stop. Buehler claimed the officers were abusing the women. Several people took pictures and video of the event, including APD. APD has refused to release their video and his case has yet to go to a grand jury 9 1/2 months later.

Buehler started the Peaceful Streets Project after that arrest. He and volunteers spend night after night, with video cameras in hand, recording police actions along 6th Street. Their goal is to expose what they claim is systemic abuse by APD.

Right or wrong, Buehler has clearly become a thorn in APD’s backside. After his second arrest, police publically announced a new “60 feet” rule for Buehler and any other member of the public who records them in action. It essentially sets a perimeter around an arrest scene. But APD later backtracked and rescinded the rule because it was “impractical.” Buehler’s actions have had an effect on APD and has put them in a reactionary mode. Implementing a policy or rule, and then quickly rescinding it shows that perhaps the Austin Police Department doesn’t quite know how to deal with him.

Buehler is now facing three possible criminal charges. But if recent history is any indication, he isn’t going to stop. The question is, how far will the fight between APD and the activist go?

About Jack Hambrick

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Texan
Jack is Editor-in-Chief at The Digital Texan and writes about news, gossip and lifestyles in Austin. He's a former television reporter with KPRC TV Houston, WFTV TV Orlando, WFOR TV Miami, and WSFL TV /Sun-Sentinel Fort Lauderdale.
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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Barbaria/100000246041098 James Barbaria

    You’re in my prayers, brother. The cops have a code of silence when it comes to corruption even if a particular cop is not corrupt they will still be complicit in covering up the corruption of their fellow officers in essence making them corrupt if only to assist in the cover up. Very proud of what your doing. We need more like you, my friend. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1049405677 Susan Mullins

    These THUG’S are on your ass, be careful Antionio,

  • http://www.facebook.com/giselle.wilding Giselle Wilding

    Don’t shut up and expose them. I won’t shut up in Australia after what I have been through.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1432691909 Michael McLean

    Buehler is an Iraq war veteran but not just any veteran, he is a West Point Graduate who earned his ranger tab. In the Army they trained him to topple an authoritarian regime and stand against corruption and he did just that. Why would they not expect him to do the same over here? The country even gave him a bronze star. After his Service he went to Stanford and went on to graduate their MBA program. Of course, Austin-PD would like to portray him as some crazy drug addicted hippy in which they are saving their citizens from instead of acknowledging their incompetency, cruelty, and tyranny over the citizens of Austin. Why does Austin-PD choose to fight a war against Antonio Buehler that they know they can’t win?

  • http://www.facebook.com/jordan.jetson.13 Jordan Jetson

    It’s disappointing that Buehler’s impeccable service record is noticeably absent from this article. And, there is no evidence Buehler assaulted anyone. The media needs to be intellectually honest in order to have a positive impact on the community.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jo.roark.52 Jo Roark

    He didn’t interfere, they’re lying, I saw the video.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1457760294 Robert Fellner

    Please have a moderator review and post my comment!!

  • Baron_of_Greymatter

     Acevedo can easily afford to fight.  When he loses, it will be the taxpayers of Austin that have to pay, not him.

  • Austin Hattan

    God bless you brother. As a fellow West Point graduate I applaud your efforts in combating thuggery and injustice. If the dash video supported their story, either you would be indicted, or they would release it. It’s sickening for the APD to continue defending the indefensible. You remind me of my son, who hopes to attend the Academy next year. You both make me proud.