A group of activists and others lashed out at SpaceX’s Elon Musk, Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez and Brownsville Police Department, after they accused them of their involvement in what they called the unlawful arrest of environmental activist Rebekah Lynn Hinojosa in February 2022.
About 15 activists stood in front of Brownsville City Hall Tuesday afternoon during a press conference calling on Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz to dismiss the misdemeanor charge against activist Hinojosa, for defacing a mural funded Elon Musk Foundation, and that Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez be investigated for abuse of power.
“Hey, hey, ho, ho, SpaceX has to go,” the group repeatedly chanted in front of city hall, as well as “free la Bekah, free, free la Bekah.”
Hinojosa has been critical of SpaceX and what it is doing to the environment.
An online petition requesting the charges against Hinojosa be dropped and Mendez be investigated was presented to the City Commission at its Tuesday meeting. The petition contained about 1,700 signatures. Mendez attended the meeting virtually.
Hinojosa was arrested Feb. 16, 2022, by police and charged with defacing a downtown Brownsville mural owned by the city.
Activist Christopher Basaldú accused Mendez of transforming the police department “into his accomplices in assaulting a resident with little to no reason…it was a wrongful arrest and they have persecuted her. The mayor publicly bragged because he felt insulted, he’s in secure. Shame on him.”
Hinojosa is accused of writing graffiti on the pink colored BTX mural on East 11th and East Levee Street. The graffiti was discovered on Feb. 14, 2022.
The Brownsville Police Department was able to gather surveillance video from surrounding downtown cameras which led them to Hinojosa, police said.
Hinojosa was charged with one count of graffiti, a Class B Misdemeanor. Her bond was set at $1,500. The graffiti on the mural was covered up shortly after.
When contacted Tuesday afternoon, Saenz said he could not comment because the case is pending.
Sara Stapleton, Hinojosa’s defense attorney, said Hinojosa’s first amendment rights were violated by her arrest. “We have the right to express our beliefs, express our rights without censorship or governmental control…or without the fear of being arrested.”
Stapleton went on to say, “We all know it (the mural) is a political position. It was funded by Elon Musk.”
In a statement to The Brownsville Herald Mendez said, “It’s clear that the activist group is timing their attacks on me once again as Ms. Hinojosa’s criminal case gets closer to trial. I am not concerned at all about any sort of accusations as I know that my record of service, integrity and working to improve our community speaks for itself. Wrongfully associating me with SpaceX is also meant to trigger negative reactions and stir anger against me from certain members of the public. The important thing to remember regarding Ms. Hinojosa is that she is accused of defacing city owned property and has been indicted by our district attorney’s office. That is not something that can be taken lightly, nor can it be ignored or brushed aside.”
Hinojosa spoke about her arrest by police officers, being interrogated by detectives without an attorney and being held in jail for 26 hours before being released. “All this on an alleged charge of a Class B misdemeanor.”
She went on to claim that Mendez personally attacked her on his official mayoral Facebook page by posting a photo of her from the Brownsville PD “setting me up for criticism and potential harm from his constituents.”
According to Cameron County court documents, a complaint against Hinojosa was filed with the County Clerk’s Office on April 22, 2022, and Hinojosa is charged with graffiti-pecuniary loss.
The complaint against Hinojosa state she did then and there “intentionally and knowingly make markings on the tangible property of SpaceX, the owner thereof, without the effective consent of the owner,” thus causing damage to the property.
Hinojosa’s arraignment hearing was held Oct. 18, 2022, before Cameron County Court-at-Law No. 5 Judge Estela Chavez-Vasquez. Announcements for her case are scheduled April 27. Jury selection is scheduled for May 15.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a correction on who owns the mural.
To see more, view Brownsville Herald photojournalist Miguel Roberts’ full photo gallery here:
Photo Gallery: ‘Free RGV Bekah’ rally at Brownsville City Hall
