CBRN event in United States of America on Sat 10th January 2026

A protest in downtown Austin escalated Saturday night after a demonstration that began earlier in the day moved into city streets and drew a growing police response.

A small group of protesters initially blocked East Eighth Street in front of the J.J. Pickle Federal Building, prompting repeated warnings from the Texas Department of Public Safety to clear the roadway. As the night continued, the crowd grew and marched through downtown, at times blocking traffic, ignoring police orders and returning to the federal building where the protest began. Authorities later appeared to deploy tear gas or a similar chemical irritant, causing the crowd to scatter.