Gov. Greg Abbott has weighed in on the indictments of 19 Austin police officers on excessive force charges in connection with the May 2020 racial injustice protests that occurred in the Texas state capital.
Abbott, a Republican, expressed support for the officers and alluded to the possibility of clemency.
A press release issued by the governor's office said that Austin set an all-time record for homicides in 2021.
According to Abbott, there's a correlation between the rise in murders and Austin's decision to decrease law enforcement funding.
"In Texas, we do not defund and denigrate our law enforcement officers," the governor said in the release. "Instead we support them for risking their own lives and safety to protect our communities from people who endanger and attack our communities."
He asserted the officers were doing their jobs during what he called "violent" protests in the city and some sustained physical injuries as a result.
"In Austin, law enforcement officers defended the state Capitol from criminal assault, protected the Austin Police Department headquarters from being overrun, cleared the interstate from being shut down and disrupted criminal activity in areas across the city," Abbott said in the release. "Many officers were physically attacked while protecting Austin. Those officers should be praised for their efforts, not prosecuted."
Police accountability has been a point of tension between Texas's Republican leadership and Austin.
The Texas Tribune reported that Travis County District Attorney José Garza's office issued the indictments.
“Unlike the governor, we believe that no one is above the law, and that our communities are safer when people see and believe that is true,” the DA's office said in a statement obtained by The Texas Tribune.
Because Garza is a Democrat, conservatives claim the indictments were politically motivated.
As Abbott defended the officers, he hinted that he could pardon them.
"Time will tell whether the accusations against the courageous Austin police officers is a political sham," he said in the release. "Time will also tell whether I, as governor, must take action to exonerate any police officer unjustly prosecuted."