Many of the people who were arrested at Saturday Mardi Gras protested on Thursday at Galveston municipal court, saying they did nothing wrong and were mistreated by Galveston police.
We talked to the Galveston police chief on Sunday, who told us the department made 19 arrests, many of them at the end of the celebration on Saturday night, near 22nd and the Strand. Officers claim the crowd became disruptive, some of them throwing bottles.
In contrast, many of those arrested came forward to say it was police who mistreated them, blocking them into the area as they were trying to leave, then hitting them as they arrested them.
"Our car was like a block down, they wouldn't let us through," said Cannon Mitchell. "They told us to turn around, we turn around and next thing you know there's two tear gas being shot over our head. That's when everything went crazy."
Community activist Quanell X said, "Many of them were stomped, beaten, pepper sprayed, punched even after being handcuffed."
Many of those arrested are expected to be back in court on March 20.
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