Staff Reports
In an event that took place at the University of Texas at Austin, there was a protest in support of Palestine that turned into a chaotic situation. The protest was organized by students who were demanding that the university stop supporting companies that provide weapons to Israel for their strikes on Gaza. The protest, which initially appeared peaceful, turned intense after police officers intervened to disperse the crowd and arrested at least 30 people, including two members of the media.
The campus police initially attempted to negotiate with the protesters, but these efforts failed, and the situation escalated quickly. Many protesters were arrested and some were pushed to the ground by officers in riot gear. Legal observers on the scene were urging others to take down the lawyers’ contact information as students were being led away to jail.
The chaotic scenes at the University of Texas at Austin were not the only incidents across various college campuses. Similar protests in support of Palestine were also dismantled at the University of Southern California, where Los Angeles police arrived in riot gear to make mass arrests.
The Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, made it clear that anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in the state and called for the expulsion of the students arrested. Furthermore, Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne expressed that the students should be expelled and, if they are on a visa, they should be deported.
Arrests being made right now & will continue until the crowd disperses.
These protesters belong in jail.
Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Texas. Period.
Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled. https://t.co/XhLlQdvUl0
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 24, 2024
This event has sparked a debate on social media, with some calling for the dismantling of such protests and for the university to take action. The situation remains tense as authorities address the aftermath of these disruptions on college campuses.
