The pro-Palestinian student organization at the University of Texas at Austin announced Friday that the school has been provisionally suspended following the arrests of several students earlier this week.
The Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) wrote on Instagram Friday that the university has “repeatedly changed its protest policy and been intentionally vague about these changes” since the on-campus protests began. The university announced that it had suspended the organization.
“UT’s suspension of the Palestine Solidarity Committee is an attack on free speech to distract from and enable Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people!” the organization wrote on Instagram. “Jay Hartzl and Greg Abbott have authorized Texas State Police, Austin Police, and Texas State Police to violently attack and arrest protesters on campus, while Palestinians continue to live in a state of emergency. “And Texas State University won’t admit it.”
Utah state president defends shutdown of anti-Israel demonstrations: ‘Our rules are important and will be enforced’
According to CBS Austin, the PSC was notified of the suspension on Thursday.
The Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) wrote on Instagram Friday that the university has “repeatedly changed its protest policy and been intentionally vague about these changes” since the on-campus protests began. The university announced that it had suspended the organization. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
A university spokesperson told CBS Austin that the interim suspension was due to PSC’s alleged violation of university rules based on student conduct and integrity. The suspension will prevent the organization from holding on-campus events, booking rooms or working with faculty, the newspaper reported.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the PSC and the university for additional comment.
Protests in Austin, Utah descend into chaos, with anti-Israel students shouting “pigs go home!” at police.
The suspensions come days after more than 30 people were arrested on the University of Texas at Austin campus during Wednesday’s anti-Israel protests.
Austin Police Department (APD) and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) were seen making arrests, with some officers monitoring the protests on horseback.
DPS told FOX News Digital that the arrests were made “to assist UT Police in maintaining the peace by deterring unlawful assembly and arresting individuals involved in all types of criminal activity, including trespassing.” He said he was hurt. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
The group was heard shouting “APD, KKK, IDF/They’re all the same” and “Pigs go home!” To the police officers at the scene. DPS told FOX News Digital that the arrests were made “to assist UT Police in maintaining the peace by deterring unlawful assembly and arresting individuals involved in all types of criminal activity, including trespassing.” He said he was hurt.
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UT Austin President Jay Hartzell issued a statement the same day defending the university’s decision to cancel the protest.
“Our rules are important and will be enforced,” he said in a lengthy statement, acknowledging “there are many emotions surrounding these events.”
UT Austin President Jay Hartzell released a statement the same day defending the university’s decision to cancel the protest. (John Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
“Today was a difficult day for many,” Hartzell wrote in a statement to the UT-Austin community. “We are witnessing a lot of activity on campus that we don’t normally experience, and there are understandably a lot of emotions surrounding these events.”
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Fox News’ Andrea Vacchiano, Bryan Preston and Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
