Huston-Tillotson students rally after an Austin couple objects to curbside parking

A complaint about cars at the curb on Austin's East Side has turned into a string of demonstrations outside one couple's new home.

The confrontation

A woman and her husband recently bought a house on East 9th Street directly across from Huston-Tillotson University, a historically Black school. A student named Bri recorded herself confronting the pair over what she called harassment of students who leave their cars out front.

In the clip Bri points out that parking there is legal. The woman fires back by citing the $1.5 million the couple paid for the place before taking a swipe at the school's graduation rate, which she puts at 25%.

When Bri notes that the couple chose to settle in a historically Black part of town, the woman insists the area belongs to her now. She then warns that she will call the police.

Protesters show up

The video spread fast on social media. Peaceful crowds have since gathered in front of the house chanting "You bought a house, not our history."

What the city says

City transportation officials confirmed to FOX 7 that cars are allowed at the curb on that stretch of East 9th Street. The usual limits still apply near corners, intersections and driveways.

Sybill Bradley has lived on the street for 16 years. She told the station that parking has never really been a problem for her. Now and then a car blocks her driveway, she said, but a polite note is all it takes for the students to move.