FOX 7 Austin Photojournalist Arrested During Pro-Palestinian Protest at UT Austin

On April 25, 2024, a FOX 7 Austin photojournalist named Carlos was arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas at Austin. The protest, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, part of Students for Justice in Palestine, aimed to urge an end to the Israel-Hamas war and call for universities to divest from Israeli companies and for the U.S. government to cease military support for Israel.

Video footage shows Carlos being pushed by law enforcement while filming the protest, and a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper then detaining him. Carlos stated that he had identified himself as press to the troopers, but was still arrested and taken to jail. "I was just covering the protest and told the troopers I was a member of the press, but an officer said my camera had hit an officer," Carlos claimed.

At least 30 individuals were detained during the rally amid a tense standoff between protesters and police in riot gear. The university had initially asked the organizers to cancel the event, citing concerns about disrupting campus operations and violating university policies. However, the protest went ahead, leading to the detentions by law enforcement.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott condemned the protests as "hate-filled, antisemitic" and called for the expulsion of students participating. "Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Texas," Abbott stated. "Students participating in these hate-filled, antisemitic protests should be expelled."

The ACLU of Texas responded, stating that the "freedom to protest is integral to our democracy" and that "UT Austin students have a First Amendment right to freely express their political opinions without threats of arrest and violence."

Why this matters: The incident at UT Austin is part of a broader trend of pro-Palestinian demonstrations happening at various campuses across the country, leading to tensions between protesters, universities, and law enforcement. The arrests and calls for expulsions raise concerns about the balance between free speech rights and campus safety.

The protest at UT Austin was one of several that took place across college campuses in Texas, California, and Massachusetts on April 25. House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that the National Guard could be brought in to contain the protests, evoking strong emotions given the 1970 Kent State and Jackson State shootings. UT Austin President Jay Hartzell released a statement defending the university's actions in enforcing its rules and policies while protecting the constitutional right to free speech. The situation remained tense throughout the day, with protesters returning to the South Lawn after being dispersed by law enforcement.

Key Takeaways

• FOX 7 Austin photojournalist Carlos arrested at pro-Palestinian protest at UT Austin
• At least 30 protesters detained amid tense standoff with police in riot gear
• Texas Gov. Abbott condemned protests as "hate-filled, antisemitic", called for student expulsions
• ACLU of Texas defended protesters' First Amendment rights to free expression
• Protests part of broader trend at campuses, raising concerns over free speech vs. safety