“What I saw was students linking arms, hugging each other while being brutalized by the police. I think the only violence we saw that day was from the police.”
I interviewed two anti-Zionist Jews about their perspective on the protests for #Palestine, one a current grad student at #UTAustin, and the other an alumni. Both were present at the big protest at April 29, and one was arrested—but only one would have been classified as an "outsider," even though they both have deep ties to the school.
I've got their story coming out later this week at Decelerate.news.
The statement from #UTexas#UTAustin board of the #TexasExes regarding their support of #Hartzell sounds pretty BS to me, but this is the establishment talking. Big money at alumni groups talks loudly.
“If you’re calling for the arrest of protesters who are simply engaging in First Amendment activities on public space, then you’re exposing yourself as a partisan ...”
I got to visit University Baptist Church today, which has served as a police-free sanctuary to #UTAustin students involved in Student Spring. They can rest, get simple medical care, supplies and snacks and are even cooked dinner each night. I'm not religious but it's moving to see a church upholding the tradition of being a place of refuge for victims of state violence. #StudentSpring#Austin#Palestine
"I’m having a nightmare, can you please wake me up? I’m dreaming that they fooled the Jewish people to do the bidding of western imperialism. To feed their tech, their #fascism, their bank accounts, their global death squads for the expansion of empire."
An activist I interviewed today, a #UTAustin alum, shared this powerful piece with me:
At the April 29 protest at #UTAustin, I witnessed the police wheeling a zip-tied arrestee in a office chair. The police apparently smacked his head while dragging him out of the encampment:
UT Austin, my employer, beats and jails students engaged in peaceful protest, then manufactures propaganda that deeply misrepresents what the students were doing and had planned to do.
How am I supposed to work at an institution willing to hurt any students I recruit to come here? This is untenable.
From last week: “I think the presence of armed riot #police always increases the tension in these kinds of situations—and I think it’s the wrong move.”
On the #UTAustin campus, activists hold up names of students and educators killed in Gaza, along with facts about the damage war has done to education.
Street medics are carrying people out of the circle as they drop from dehydration. They are being iced down as an ambulance called. Dehydration becoming a serious issue here. #Palestine#Texas#UTAustin#Austin
A group of protesters attempted to block the arrest vans from leaving campus but were forced back onto the sidewalk by police. #UTAustin#Austin#Palestine
Tensions high. Protesters are facing off with APD and troopers a chanting "off our campus!" Some victims of police violence were brought to a nearby church for medical care. #Austin#Palestine#UTAustin
Protesters followed police off campus chanting and confronting them. Students chanting "fuck you fascists!" at the departing cops. #ftp#Palestine#Texas#UTAustin#Austin
Things have calmed down again at #UTAustin. A few dozen students have gathered on the South Lawn again and are talking and sharing snacks water Gatorade and solidarity. Probably dozens of arrests earlier? #Palestine#Texas#Austin
Word is there were at least 65 arrests today at the #UTAustin campus. Jail support called for tonight at the Travis County Jail. #Palestine#Texas#Austin