Misael Ramos released on bail after arrest over Austin protest against ICE shooting
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Austin City Council candidate Misael Ramos was released after being arrested on a riot participation charge linked to an ICE protest.
Austin City Council candidate Misael Ramos was released from the Travis County Jail Saturday after being arrested in connection with a protest over the shooting of a Venezuelan man by a federal immigration officer.
Ramos, who is running for the District 1 seat, was taken into custody by Texas Department of Public Safety officers on a misdemeanor charge of participating in a riot. He was later released on $1,000 bail.
KUT reported that Ramos was arrested around 8:50 a.m. while walking his dog near Stafford Street and Manor Road. His campaign manager, Jeffrey Clemmons, said officers approached Ramos and that the candidate was not aware of the warrant before his arrest.
The charge stems from a Sept. 20 demonstration in Austin following the shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan man, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. The shooting sparked protests and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement in the city.
Ramos has denied wrongdoing and said through his campaign that he intends to contest the charge. His attorney, Edmund “Skip” Davis, also disputed the characterization of the demonstration as a riot, saying he saw people chanting and protesting rather than rioting.
DPS has since provided additional details about the allegation. According to an agency statement reported by The Associated Press, Ramos was arrested on an outstanding warrant based on alleged actions during the protest. DPS said he was captured on camera moving construction barricades, sandbags and other items in an attempt to obstruct traffic. Those allegations have not been adjudicated.
Ramos was booked into the Travis County Jail shortly after 9:30 a.m. His release was announced during a Saturday afternoon gathering outside the jail attended by supporters, campaign representatives and attorneys.
Speaking after his release, Ramos said the experience had made him think about other people detained without their families knowing where they were being held.
The arrest adds a legal issue to Ramos’ campaign for Austin’s District 1 council seat. His case remains unresolved, and the available reports do not indicate that he has been convicted of the charge.
The Sept. 20 protest followed an incident that remains under investigation. Garces Perez was wounded during an encounter with an ICE officer and was subsequently taken into federal custody. Officials and his attorney have offered differing accounts of the circumstances surrounding the shooting.