LIVE UPDATES: More than 50 arrested during pro-Palestine protest at UT Austin

This story is being continually updated in a live blog toward the bottom of the article. Check back for updates.

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Dozens of people were arrested at the University of Texas at Austin’s campus Wednesday as people gathered at a protest in support of Gaza.

KXAN reached out to law enforcement to learn just how many arrests were made, and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office confirmed 57 people were booked into the Travis County Jail following the protest.

Some of those people started being released early Thursday morning, as more demonstrators gathered at the Travis County Jail to call for their release.

The Palestinian Solidarity Committee of Austin organized the Wednesday protest, directing students to walk out of class at 11:40 a.m. and occupy the lawn until past 7 p.m.

“In the footsteps of our comrades at Columbia SJP, Rutgers-New Brunswick, Yale, and countless others across the nation, we will be establishing THE POPULAR UNIVERSITY FOR GAZA and demanding our administration divest from death,” a PSC social media post said.

The protest follows days of tense encounters between students and police during protests on Ivy League campuses, shining a national spotlight on the cultural and political rifts on campuses and sparking debate about the appropriate limits to free assembly.

MORE: Pro-Palestinian protests sweep US college campuses following mass arrests at Columbia

The university sent a letter to the organizers Tuesday night telling them to cancel the event.

UT Austin’s Jewish student organization, Texas Hillel, accused Wednesday’s protest of promoting a “hateful agenda” by coinciding with Passover.

“The University has assured us there will be no tolerance for disruption or behaviors misaligned with University policy,” a Hillel statement said.

KXAN is on campus to cover the day’s events, and KXAN’s Ryan Chandler, Monica Madden, Grace Reader, and Nabil Remadna were providing live updates on X.

This story is continually being updated in the live blog below.

Thursday, April 25, 2024

11:45 a.m.

Travis County Attorney Delia Garza released a statement regarding the arrests made related to the protest.

9:50 a.m.

The Travis County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to KXAN that 57 people were booked into the Travis County Jail following the Wednesday protests.

8:40 a.m.

The UT Faculty Council posted a message Thursday morning expressing disagreement with what they said was “President Hartzell’s decision to invite DPS officers, armed and in riot gear, onto the Forty Acres to disrupt a non-violent protest.”

The letter continued to say the council has been in touch with Hartzell and other members of administration to express their concern over the “University’s decision to escalate matters by inviting DPS onto campus during yesterday’s protests.” The council also said it asked Hartzell to lay out specific reasoning for that decision.

The council also expressed support for peaceful, non-disruptive protests on campus and said UT’s campus should be a safe space for “all manner of speech–so long as they don’t cross the line into hate speech, harassment, or threats.”

The full statement is available online.

6:10 a.m.

Several people are waiting outside of the Travis County Jail Thursday morning as they anticipate some demonstrators who were detained during the protest on Wednesday to be released soon.

5:55 a.m.

Austin City Council Member for District 4, Chito Vela, posted a statement on X in response to UT President Jay Hartzell’s statement that was issued Wednesday night.

“As a Texas Ex, I’m extremely disappointed in the leadership of @JCHartzell,” Vela said. “@UTAustin has had vigorous and robust protests for decades without this type of police response. The disrespect of students’ constitutional rights is absolutely unacceptable.”

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

10 p.m.

A public defender told KXAN the number of arrests could be above 50. However, at this time, DPS is only reporting 34 arrests.

9:50 p.m.

KXAN’s Nabil Ramadna spoke with a local defense attorney about First Amendment rights after the UT protest in support of Gaza escalated to multiple arrests.

9:40 p.m.

Protesters in support of Gaza were still at the UT campus Wednesday night. However, Grace Reader said it had calmed down significantly. Still, dozens of people were seen on the lawn Wednesday night, and most law enforcement was gone.

9:30 p.m.

Texas DPS said as of 9 p.m., 34 arrests were made by law enforcement on the UT Austin campus.

9 p.m.

UT President Jay Hartzell released the following statement on Wednesday:

6:13 p.m.

People returned to the South Lawn, previously cleared by law enforcement.

6:06 p.m.

Jewish counter-protesters told Nexstar reporter Monica Madden earlier in the day that they did not feel “threatened or unsafe” during the protest.

5:55 p.m.

The protest continues, per Nexstar reporter Ryan Chandler, but has been cleared from its originally planned area.

5:47 p.m.

The Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors issued a statement condemning UT Austin President Jay Hartzell and other UT leaders.

“There was no threat of violence, no plan to disrupt classes, no intimidation of the campus community,” the statement reads, in part.

You can read the entire statement on X.

5:30 p.m.

Law enforcement has pushed protesters to outside Sutton Hall.

5:25 p.m.

Law enforcement officers, including mounted DPS troopers, advance on people gathered at the South Lawn.

5:22 p.m.

U.S. Representative Greg Casar shared a 2019 social media post from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, in which Abbott signs a “law protecting free speech on college campuses.” Casar added, “‘Free speech for me but not for thee.'”

5:21 p.m.

UT Police Assistant Chief Ashley Griffin issued a dispersal order to those present. That statement was read over campus loudspeakers, Ryan Chandler reported.

“I command you in the name of the People of the State of Texas to disperse, and if you do not, you shall be arrested for Violation of Penal Code Section 42.01 Disorderly Conduct, 42.02 Riot, 42.03 Obstructing a Highway or other passageway,” the order reads.

5:17 p.m.

The protest, with chanting and law enforcement detaining people, continues per KXAN reporter Grace Reader.

4:56 p.m.

In a statement, DPS said it was called to the UT Austin campus “at the request of the University and at the direction of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in order to prevent any unlawful assembly and to support UT Police in maintaining the peace by arresting anyone engaging in any sort of criminal activity, including criminal trespass.”

DPS said law enforcement has arrested more than 20 people.

4:34 p.m.

Austin City Council Member Ryan Alter commented on the law enforcement response to the protest, calling it “shocking” and “unacceptable.”

“We must stand firmly for the rights of all Austinites to exercise their first amendment rights,” he said, in part.

You can read his full statement online.

4:30 p.m.

KXAN’s Grace Reader describes speaking to a FOX 7 Austin photographer who was arrested (see 4:22 p.m.) as DPS troopers pushed protesters off the grass.

Per Reader, fewer people were at the protest as of 4:30 p.m. than earlier today and that there appeared to be more law enforcement than protesters at this point.

4:28 p.m.

The South Lawn at UT Austin has now been completely blocked off by law enforcement.

4:24 p.m.

Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez commented on the protest, comparing this DPS response to its inaction during the Robb Elementary shooting.

“DPS has pulled out all the stops to harass innocent college students, but wouldn’t lift a finger to help the victims in the Uvalde massacre. This state is broken,” he wrote on X.

4:22 p.m.

DPS troopers arrest a FOX 7 Austin photographer who identified himself to Nexstar. DPS claims the photographer purposely struck a trooper with his camera, which he denies. FOX 7 Austin confirms that the journalist works for them.

“This has never happened to me,” the photographer told KXAN.

An UT Austin student tells Nexstar that the police presence was a “self-fulfilling prophecy” that escalated the situation. According to an agenda of the event, the protest would have held a “student movement teach-in” at 4 p.m., followed by a 5 p.m. study break and a 7 p.m. art workshop.

4:21 p.m.

DPS troopers begin to clear the protest area.

4:14 p.m.

Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick commented on the protest at UT Austin. “Thank you @TxDPS and @UTAustinPolice for shutting down the attempted takeover of the university by pro-Hamas protesters,” he wrote, in part, on X.

4:12 p.m.

People chant “let him go” as law enforcement takes a person into custody.

4:02 p.m.

DPS troopers with shields arrive at the protest area.

4:01 p.m.

Nexstar reporter Monica Madden, reporting from the protest, says that the chanting has changed from pro-Palestine messages to “off our campus,” in response to the large DPS presence. Chanting also includes “you don’t scare us.”

3:51 p.m.

The UT Division of Student Affairs issued the following statement:

“UT Austin does not tolerate disruptions of campus activities or operations like we have seen at other campuses. This is an important time in our semester with students finishing classes and studying for finals and we will act first and foremost to allow those critical functions to proceed without interruption.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also commented on the protest, calling for the protesters to be jailed.

“Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled,” he wrote, in part, on X.

3:40 p.m.

A large number of DPS vehicles were seen traveling to Austin from Houston on I-35, per a picture sent to KXAN. Sources tell KXAN that the additional resources were requested for the UT Austin protest.

3:37 p.m.

Austin Council Member Mackenzie Kelly issued the following statement:

3:34 p.m.

Nabil Remadna said mounted units are arriving. He said the protest is peaceful and chanting is picking up.

3:33 p.m.

The Austin Police Department tells KXAN that it is assisting UT Police with the transport of arrested people from the UT Austin campus, after UT Police asked for aid.

3:29 p.m.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz commented on the protest on social media, calling it “antisemitic.”

“These nationwide antisemitic protests are disgraceful. They do not represent Texas or the views of Texans. No Jewish student should ever have their safety threatened.” Cruz wrote, in part, on X.

3:29 p.m.

Mounted DPS troopers ride horses into the protest area, per KXAN reporter Grace Reader.

3:20 p.m.

KXAN reporter Nabil Ramadna, who is at the scene at the South Mall on campus, said there is a very large gathering of people chanting.

3:16 p.m.

Austin Council Member Vanessa Fuentes responded to the protest, calling the law enforcement presence on campus “a needless escalation.”

“We deserve an explanation for why such extreme actions are being taken to suppress the voices of seemingly peaceful protestors. Do better, UT,” Fuentes said, in part, on X.

2:48 p.m.

Ryan Chandler, who is at the scene, said there were at least 10 people detained.

2:28 p.m.

DPS says protesters’ presence on campus is considered criminal trespassing and anyone who doesn’t leave will be detained.

2:20 p.m.

Police attempt to push the crowd back and detain at least one person in the process.

2:15 p.m.

The protest has tripled in size within the last two hours. Protesters were moved off of the South Lawn, but people are setting up tents.

2:09 p.m.

Austin Council Member Zo Qadri issues a statement about the protest:

1:56 p.m.

Ryan Chandler, who is at the scene, says it has gotten “exponentially more violent and out of control” since DPS troopers began dispersing the crowd. At least five people have been detained at this point.

1:51 p.m.

UT Police post on social media that there is “police activity” near the South Mall and ask people to avoid the area.

1:24 p.m.

DPS confirms at least four people have been detained.

1:14 p.m.

People at the protest and DPS stand off on the main drag of campus.

1:13 p.m.

Ryan Chandler reports from the scene that campus is “chaos,” and DPS troopers have started forcefully dispersing protesters, detaining at least one person.

12:32 p.m.

DPS gives protesters a two-minute warning to disperse.

12:30 p.m.

Police have pushed those gathered to protest to the corner of campus by the Brazos garage, moving them away from their intended meeting location of South Lawn.

12:20 p.m.

DPS appears to be preparing to disperse crowds with many troopers dressed in riot gear.

12:09 p.m.

A heavy presence of DPS bikers, mounted patrol, and UTPD work to keep protesters from their intended destination of the South Lawn.

11:54 a.m.

Protesters start gathering on campus. University Police and Department of Public Safety Troopers begin walling off protesters’ intended gathering area on the South Lawn, not letting others in.

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