University of Texas police on Monday arrested pro-Palestinian protesters, some of whom had set up tents on the Austin campus.
As of 5 p.m. Monday, 43 protesters had been arrested, said George Robb, an Austin criminal defense attorney. He is working with the Austin Lawyers Guild to provide legal aid to those arrested at campus protests.
The university could not officially confirm the total number of arrests. Travis County authorities did not immediately respond to an investigation into the arrest.
Demonstrators began setting up tents on the school's main lawn around noon. A campus police statement was sent about an hour later.
Dozens of students and demonstrators linked arms and formed a circle around the encampment while tents were being set up.
They chanted “Free Palestine, free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea Palestine is free.”
Pro-Palestinian protests continued at the University of Texas, where protesters set up tents. Authorities warned that any attempt to occupy the campus could lead to arrest.
Police officials said in the alert that the students' actions amounted to “disorderly conduct.”
“In the name of the University of Texas Police Department, I am ordering you to disperse. If you do not comply, you will be arrested,” said Deputy Chief Shane Streepy.
Around 1:30 p.m., dozens of state troopers in riot gear arrived on the South Mall and lined up across from the encampment. Some people had zip ties.
A few minutes later, state troopers advanced toward the encampment and began surrounding it.
“Students attempted to confiscate the tents when protesters ignored repeated instructions from both administration and law enforcement officials to abide by university regulations and remove the tents that had gathered on the university’s South Lawn. “After physically engaging and assaulting a department staff member, University and Partner Law enforcement agencies cleared the encampment and arrested several protesters,” UT officials said in a statement Monday afternoon.
“Baseball-sized rocks strategically placed within the encampment were discovered. The majority of the demonstrators appear to be unaffiliated with the university. On Saturday, the university received a large “I received online threats,” they added.
Gov. Greg Abbott posted on social media around 3 p.m. Instead, some people have been arrested. ”
Monday's arrests came days after more than 50 people were arrested protesting the war in Gaza on the same lawn at the University of Texas. Those arrested last week were charged with trespassing, but Travis County prosecutors declined to file charges.
Olive Gonzalez, 22, a fourth-year advertising student, said she did not participate in last week's protests but decided to show her support today, saying the presence of law enforcement is excessive. She said she was “disappointed” by UT's response.
“I don't think that's the case. [protesters] They came here with the intention of causing havoc at the university,” she said. “I think they were in it for a worthy cause.”
“How would they feel if their children were dragged away by law enforcement and abused?” said Shan Panjwani, 20, a second-year business student. “Are they really just answering orders, or do they really believe in what they're doing? Any normal human being, anyone with a moral compass, , I know this is wrong.”
Panjwani said that throughout the year, multiple student groups hold protests for various causes, but this time was different.
“Their response to people protesting, especially for this cause, is completely different than their response to normal protests,” he said. “We don’t need to bring out people with ARs and riot shields on unarmed kids who are just sitting on campuses that we pay thousands of dollars a year to come to school with.”
State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, said in a phone interview that she was heading to UT's South Lawn to monitor the protests.
Eckhardt said he has not been in contact with UT President Jay Hartzl. She noted that the decision to remove the tents is in line with a request made by the UT last week. Officials “made it clear on Wednesday, the first day, that the tents were a type of visible obstruction that we were trying to avoid,” she said.
“The best course of action is to reach out to as many regular influencers as possible to defuse the situation,” Eckhardt added.
Recently, pro-Palestinian protests have been occurring on university campuses across the country. Demonstrators are demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and for Gaza's universities to divest from companies that manufacture weapons used in the war.
Protests at Columbia University in New York gained further momentum earlier this month after more than 100 students were arrested and charged with trespassing after many set up tents on the campus lawn. did.
Student protesters have been leading demonstrations across the country since October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages, according to the Israeli government. In the months that followed, Israel began bombing the Gaza Strip, killing more than 34,000 people, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. dallas morning news We cannot independently verify these numbers.
Some demonstrators on Monday called for doctors. The National Weather Service indicated the heat index was around 90 degrees for much of the afternoon.
By 4 p.m., state troopers and police had cleared and secured the South Mall. Some demonstrators tried to block police vehicles from leaving the campus, but officers used chemical spray on the crowd and the vehicles were able to leave. During the collision, two loud explosions were heard approximately 30 seconds apart, accompanied by white smoke.
State Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) said she was walking through campus on her way home when she saw a crowd running toward her. UT is in her school district.
“I asked, 'What's going on?' And I heard pepper spray being fired,” she said. “But then I started feeling it. You can smell it too.”
Hinojosa said his eyes were inflamed. Soon, she became one of those handing out water to those who needed to wash out their eyes.
“Some people were suffering,” she said.
Hinojosa said the situation escalated when Department of Public Safety officers were on campus.
“Students are even more angry because I think after that backlash and the public backlash, everyone thought that UT would never do something like that again,” she said. “So I think students and faculty in this community are just as angry that this is happening again.”
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