AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Palestinian Solidarity Committee of Austin organized a protest in support of Gaza on Wednesday, directing students to walk out of class and “occupy” the South Lawn of the University of Texas’ campus.
“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.
Students were scheduled to walk out at 11:40 a.m. and occupy the lawn until past 7 p.m. Wednesday.
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.
The university sent a letter to the organizers Tuesday night telling them to cancel the event.
The University of Texas at Austin must first and foremost act to protect our educational mission, allowing the activities and operations that support our mission to proceed. At the same time, we are steadfast in our support of free speech. Our policies and rules help define the lines between these objectives and shape our response to planned protests.
The Palestine Solidarity Committee student organization’s event “Popular University for Gaza,” which is planned for tomorrow, has declared intent to violate our policies and rules, and disrupt our campus operations. Such disruptions are never allowed and are especially damaging while our students prepare for the end of the semester and final exams. For these reasons, this event may not proceed as planned.
Simply put the University of Texas at Austin will not allow this campus to be “taken” and protesters to derail our mission in ways that groups affiliated with your national organizations have accomplished elsewhere.
Please be advised that you are not permitted to hold your event on the University campus. Any attempt to do so will subject your organization and its attending members to discipline including suspension under the Institutional Rules. Individuals not affiliated with the University and attempting to attend this event will be directed to leave campus. Refusal to comply may result in arrest.
Office of the Dean of Students
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 will be on campus to cover the day’s events, and KXAN’s Ryan Chandler is providing updates on X. This story will be updated.
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Author: Ryan Chandler
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