Activists accuse police of brutality at car event
GALVESTON — A group of activists called on Galveston law enforcement officials to answer for what they said was “aggressive policing” of a recent unsanctioned slab car event on the island that resulted in a man allegedly being beaten and tased by police officers.
Community activists, including Quanell X and Candice Matthews of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats on Wednesday stood in front of the Galveston police headquarters decrying what they characterized as a “military-style police threat” during the April 24-25 event. The slab car event was reportedly a social media-organized gathering that attracted people from all over the state and as far as Louisiana.
Slabs — the name is an acronym for slow, low (or loud) and bangin’ — were born in the early-1980s working-class African American neighborhoods on Houston’s south side. In the beginning, slabs were Cadillacs, were made distinctive by their candy-colored paint jobs and their 30-spoke wire rims, as well as booming sound systems. Today, slabs include makes of all kind, though with the same signature aesthetic.
On April 24 alone, Galveston police responded to 503 calls for service, issuing 182 traffic stops and 22 arrests according to records released by the police de
partment. The department added that a handful of other law enforcement agencies assisted in policing the event that weekend, including the Friendswood Police Department, Texas Rangers, Homeland Security, and U.S. Marshals.
One particular arrest caught the attention of activists. Andre Malone of Spring, said he was pulled over on April 24 by two Galveston police officers for having expired tags, was tased, then thrown to the ground and punched by one officer while the other had his knee on his neck. Malone was booked for failure to provide identification and resisting arrest, according to Galveston County court records.
“(Malone) was beaten and thrown in jail, never received medical attention from being tased four times … after yelling, ‘Please my heart can’t take it anymore,’” Matthews said.
Sgt. Stacy Papillion, a spokeswoman for the Galveston Police Department said Malone’s allegations of brutality are “currently under investigation.”
“There are no further comments at this time,” Papillion said.
Malone, 36, a car customizer, read a statement at the news conference but did not take questions. He was more circumspect in criticizing police officers, saying he “supports the blue line” and acknowledged that police have a difficult job. He admitted that he should not have been driving with expired tags but questioned why the officers were so rough with him.
“Whenever you become a police officer, you make a choice to put that uniform on, you’re held to a higher standard to be able to deal with people of all different creed, color, size, whatnot,” Malone said.
Activists questioned the need for beefed-up law enforcement for the slab weekend, noting the disparity in policing similar events that attract mostly white participants, such as Jeep Weekend on Bolivar Peninsula and Mardi Gras and Lone Star Rally in Galveston.
Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said Galveston Police Chief Vernon Hale specifically requested additional law enforcement help because previous slab car events tended to be rowdy, including a shooting on Seawall Boulevard last year.
“You don’t know what to expect, so you try to prepare for what may come out of this,” Trochesset said.
Hale and Trochesset met with Quanell X, Matthews and several other activists prior to Wednesday’s news conference, a meeting Trochesset said was “productive.” The activists said Hale told them he would refer Malone’s allegations against the arresting officers to the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office. Hale could not be reached for comment.
Quanell X said he hoped the police department would take action against the officers by the close of business on Wednesday or the activists would return to the island with larger numbers in protest.