Dozens of protesters were arrested at an anti-Israel demonstration at The University of Texas at Austin, with some being released despite Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's call for them to be locked up. The Texas Tribune reported that 57 people were arrested, with 26 not affiliated with the college. Criminal charges were dropped against 46 of those arrested due to lack of probable cause.
UT Austin stated that the protest was organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, an outside group seeking to disrupt university operations. The university highlighted that while previous pro-Palestinian events occurred without incident, this protest aimed to break institutional rules and occupy the campus.
Democratic State Rep. Gina Hinojosa disputed Abbott's claims of antisemitism, stating that the protest was against the war and students' right to gather and protest. The demonstration called for the university to divest from Israeli companies linked to the conflict in Gaza.
University President Jay Hartzell defended the decision to shut down the protest, emphasizing the importance of upholding rules and policies. He stated that peaceful protests within guidelines are acceptable, but disruptions and rule violations will not be tolerated.
Similar protests occurred at Princeton University, Emory University, and the University of Southern California (USC), resulting in arrests and campus closures. USC announced the campus would remain closed until further notice following a large anti-Israel protest that led to 93 arrests and the cancellation of the commencement ceremony.
