The Dallas Police Department has continued to delay its response to an open records request asking about how it monitored anti-Israel rallies in the city.
The Dallas Express filed a request on November 13 for any mentions of “Palestine,” “Palestinian,” or “Hamas” within DPD communications in the five weeks after Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7.
The department charged the outlet $112.50 to access the records. This payment was disbursed on December 22, 2023, yet not a single document has been provided as of January 22. 2024.
The Dallas Express previously reached out to the City to ask about its response to the rallies, but an official declined to provide information about the measures being taken to monitor these protests.
“While the City is closely monitoring activity, we have nothing more to share publicly,” Catherine Cuellar, a spokesperson for the City, told The Dallas Express.
The Dallas Police Department said they directed traffic around the marches when they spilled onto roadways. According to the agency’s spokesperson, Kristin Lowman, this did not include blocking the roads to make room for protesters.
“As with all large-scale events, the Department had a visible presence and monitored the event,” Lowman told The Dallas Express. “There were no barricades or barriers set up. In the event of protests or vigils, our goal will continue to be to protect an individual’s constitutional right to protest.”
“As a department, we will ensure anyone who chooses to peacefully protest can do so safely and securely in our city,” she continued. “While we respect everyone’s right to protest, no matter their position, we will NOT condone lawlessness in our city. We will take the appropriate action if anyone’s actions threaten lives or harm people or property.”
A previous open records request was submitted to DPD by The Dallas Express for any permit documents for a particular anti-Israel rally in Dallas. DPD said no such records exist.
Anti-Israel protesters took to the streets of Dallas in the weeks after Hamas’ brutal attacks last fall that resulted in the killing of roughly 1,140 people. This included 695 Israeli civilians, 36 of whom were children.
Several of the anti-Israel protest organizers in Dallas have stated pro-Hamas views online, as reported by The Dallas Express. Three of these groups — the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Dallas Anti-War Committee, and the Muslim American Society — seemingly expressed support for the Hamas-affiliated attackers at the time of the October 7 assault on southern Israel.
It remains to be seen how long DPD and the City will take to fulfill The Dallas Express‘ open records request.
A poll from last year found nearly 56% of respondents who described themselves as centrists “support more transparency for the City of Dallas,” as previously reported by The Dallas Express. Some 40% of those surveyed said they wanted more transparency, and 35% said they were content.
