A pro-Palestine rally of about 150 individuals gathered at the Travis County Jail Wednesday night. The gathering is in response to the arrest of at least 34 persons on the UT campus earlier in the day during a Palestine Solidarity Committee-organized demonstration.
“It’s a result of police incitement and escalation at what was supposed to be a peaceful walkout and collective gathering on the UT lawn,” said Jenna, a PSC member and psychology senior who prefers to be identified only by their first name for safety reasons. “We wanted to have study sessions and educational activities, but police escalated things to the point where we were always surrounded.”
According to a statement made by the agency, Austin police officers and state troopers greeted throngs on Speedway, as well as Department of Public Safety officials dispatched on Gov. Greg Abbott’s orders. Throughout the afternoon, the University’s police department sent several incident notifications, warning of a police presence and advising students to avoid the area.
Officers moved the hundreds of demonstrators in Gregory Plaza to Brazos Garage, then up Speedway, and finally to the South Mall. DPS police on horseback then led people to the intersection of Guadalupe and 22nd streets, where they galloped off.
The dispersion order was lifted at about 9:00 p.m., according to a campus incident notification.
“We want our comrades in (the jail) to hear us,” a demonstrator told the audience outside the jail, as they chanted “Free our comrades, drop the charges” and “Free Palestine”.
“It’s a shame and now we are here to protest for their release,” Jennifer added. “There was no crime.”