UT Austin News
Law enforcement intervenes during pro-Palestine protest at UT Austin
Students at the University of Texas at Austin are protesting and showing their support for Palestinians on Wednesday, April 24.
KVUE crews on the scene have reported an increased police presence in response to the protest. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper has confirmed that at least three people have been arrested.
So far this week, pro-Palestine protests have swept U.S. college campuses, following mass arrests at Columbia University in New York. Dozens of protesters were also arrested at New York University and Yale University in Connecticut. The movement has also hit the west coast, at Cal Poly Humboldt in California.
At UT, students walked out of class Wednesday morning and met at Gregory Gym before planning to march and occupy the university's South Mall.
The Palestine Solidarity Committee at UT said it is following in the footsteps of students at other schools, calling for justice in Palestine. The UT students planned to occupy the South Mall all day Wednesday.
However, UT has stated that the protest is not authorized. A letter sent to the Palestine Solidarity Committee on Wednesday by the Office of the Dean of Students said the 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 organization have accomplished elsewhere," the letter reads in part.
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Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com. KVUE is updating the story as the news unfolds.