3:23 PM ET April 24, 2024
'Tense exchanges' and 'physical fights' erupt at University of Texas at Austin amid pro-Palestinian protests
From Ashley Killough in Dallas
Pro-Palestinian protests erupted on April 24, with state troopers seen at the University of Texas at Austin.
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On April 24, pro-Palestinian protests erupted at the University of Texas in Austin.
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People were seen gathering around an altercation during a protest at the University of Texas in Austin today.
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Texas state troopers in riot gear, some on horseback, began dispersing a group of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Texas at Austin shortly after the demonstration began Wednesday.
The Austin Solidarity Committee for Palestine organized a walkout and occupation on the school's south lawn. Students are encouraged to bring “blankets, food and water, face masks, and plenty of energy,” according to an Instagram post announcing the event.
Amelia Kimball, deputy editor of the Daily Texan, told CNN there are no plans to set up encampments like other college campuses across the country.
Kimball said students gathered in a central area of campus and were told to disperse within minutes. Kimball said she saw law enforcement setting up multiple lockdowns in the area to keep the crowd dispersed.
She also described “tense interactions” and “physical struggles between police and students.” Some of these scenes, including the arrest, were filmed by CNN affiliate KEYE.
“I don't think students expected this kind of reaction,” he said on CNN, adding that some students dispersed while others remained in the crowd.
Kimball said she started noticing a heavy law enforcement presence the day before the protests began.
CNN has reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the University of Texas and the Austin Police Department.
