All 79 students arrested at the anti-Israel demonstration at the University of Texas at Austin campus last April have had their criminal trespassing charges dropped by Texas prosecutors.
The protests occurred during a wave of campus demonstrations across the country in response to Israel’s war with the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which had launched an attack last October killing Israeli civilians. The decision to drop the charges comes shortly after dozens of students who protested at Columbia University and barricaded themselves in buildings also had their charges dismissed last week, according to Fox News.
Travis County Attorney Delia Garza announced the decision, stating, “After examining and weighing all the evidence presented, we have determined that we cannot meet our legal burden to prove these 79 criminal trespass cases beyond reasonable doubt, and they will be dismissed.”
Garza added that she had previously expressed concerns about the large number of arrests for the low-level, non-violent charge. She explained that prosecutors spent 90 hours evaluating the cases before making their decision. Upon reviewing the evidence, including body camera footage, there were concerns about potential violations of the students’ constitutional rights to free speech by the police.
“We also have the responsibility to determine if pursuing any case is in the interest of justice, in the interest of public safety, and aligns with the values of this community,” Garza explained.
UT Austin condemned the decision in a statement, saying, “We respect the law and are deeply disappointed by the County Attorney’s actions.” The university emphasized that it is committed to maintaining safety and operational continuity for its 53,000 students, noting that free speech is welcome on campus, but violating laws or rules should have consequences.
“Violating laws or rules is not. Actions that violate laws and institutional rules should be met with consequences, not with political posturing and press conferences,” the statement read.
