It was very challenging for everybody to work together.”įormer LULAC district director Mamie Garcia had been hired by then police chief Harry Caldwell as a community liaison. Less violent protests continued for a few days, but already, members of the Hispanic community and HPD were working to heal the wounds caused by the death of Joe Torres. “Joe Torres, a name that has provoked protests and seething resentments among Houston’s Mexican-American residents for a year.” They really didn’t feel like we were there to provide a good public service, that we were there really to intimidate and talk down and harass.” Harris County Precinct Six Constable Victor Trevino was a Houston Police officer in 1978. “Today, a small crowd watched as store-keepers secured what was left of their shops as officers tried to keep scavengers out of the rubble.” “It was a challenging time because the people in the Hispanic community did not trust the police department.” The near north side around the park looked like a war zone. It was May 8th of 1978 when Walter Cronkite told the rest of the nation what had happened in Moody Park. “A Mexican-American fiesta in a Houston park turned into a riot last night, the result of long-simmering hostility between police there and Mexican-Americans who make up about 23-percent of Houston’s 1.2 million residents.”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |