A demonstration against Israel at the University of Texas in Austin this Wednesday (24) resulted in the arrest of at least 17 people after police were sent to the scene, carrying riot gear, and attempted to disperse students demonstrating at the campus of the educational institution.
According to the local newspaper The Texas Tribune, the 17 people who were detained by members of the police cavalry unit were university students. The portal Austin American-Statesman reported 20 arrests.
The response from Texas state authorities was one of the most energetic among the student protests that broke out in the United States against the war in the Middle East and which had their epicenter at Columbia University in New York, where students chanted pro-Hamas and they harassed young Jews.
About 200 students were gathered on the University of Texas campus on Wednesday when at least 50 police officers showed up to order them to disperse.
Several police officers were on horseback, others were heavily armed and most of them wore riot gear to disperse the students who were reportedly holding a “peaceful protest.”
The protest intensified into a sit-in in the central part of the campus and arrests continued as authorities said students were illegally occupying the site. Some of those arrested were taken to the Travis County Jail.
The university sent an alert to its entire community asking them to avoid the campus area.
U.S. Congressman Greg Casar of the Democratic Party, whose district includes Austin, criticized the response from state officials.
“Students who speak out – whether you agree with them or not – have the right to safety and fair treatment. Responding to peaceful demonstrations with weapons and riot gear increases tension and makes everyone less safe,” he declared.
Student protests against the war in Gaza and President Joe Biden's administration's support for Israel erupted weeks ago at Columbia University and are spreading to campuses across the country.
These protests are dominating the press and political scene in the US, with Republicans and a significant portion of Democrats condemning the demonstrations and accusing the students of anti-Semitism.
In addition to Texas, this Wednesday there was also a riot between police and students at the University of Southern California. According to information from Associated Press (AP)protesters clashed with authorities after being forced to dismantle tent shelters they had built at the site.
Students also erected barricades inside California State Polytechnic University, which led the educational institution to opt for virtual classes. (With EFE Agency)
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