Nearly 1000 faculty and students gathered in front of the UT Tower today to protest at least 57 arrests made Wednesday, when law enforcement in riot gear attempted to shut down a pro-Palestine protest on campus.
The UT Austin Faculty and Staff Justice for Palestine organized alongside students from the Palestine Solidarity Committee, who planned yesterday’s protest. Pro-Palestine protesters gathered in front of the Tower Thursday around 12:15 p.m. and formed a circle to hear from a variety of speakers.
Speakers included students, faculty and government representatives.
The speakers condemned law enforcement’s response to the protest on campus yesterday and said they support the First Amendment right to peaceful protest.
“The police showing up in riot gear only escalates tensions, only makes things more dangerous for protesters, for students and the police themselves,” Congressman Greg Casar told The Daily Texan. “What I saw yesterday was not the way to keep students safe.”
While protesters in support of Palestine gathered, about 50 pro-Israel protesters chanted “let my people go” while waving Israeli flags.
The PSC posted on Instagram late Wednesday night calling for the Travis County district attorney’s office to drop all charges against those arrested at yesterday’s protest and for the immediate resignation of UT President Jay Hartzell.
A group of faculty at Thursday’s protest announced they will produce a statement of no confidence against Hartzell. Meanwhile, protestors in the crowd chanted “Hartzell out!”
Protesters dispersed around 2 p.m. after a moment of silence.
The Texan will continue updating this story.
