Bystander video captured the moment when Texas state troopers in riot gear violently pushed back a peaceful crowd of pro-Palestine protesters at the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday. The video shows the troopers slamming a cameraman, later identified as Carlos of the local Fox affiliate, to the ground. Carlos was detained but later released.
More than a dozen protesters, including an organizer, were arrested during the protest. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who reportedly requested the trooper presence at the protest, celebrated the arrests on Twitter, writing, “Arrests being made right now & will continue until the crowd disperses. These protesters belong in jail.” Abbott also threatened to expel students who participate in antisemitic protests.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas condemned the arrests, saying, “The freedom to protest is integral to our democracy. UT Austin students have a First Amendment right to freely express their political opinions—without threats of arrest and violence.”
A freelance journalist, Tony Plohetski, who was covering the protest, tweeted the video with the caption, “I can’t remember a journalist ever being arrested for doing his job in my 24 years of reporting in Austin.”
Users on social media had a field day with Abbott’s statement. Several noted that the governor has a history of suppressing free speech on college campuses. One user asked, “Are you saying that you are arresting people for their speech??”
The incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the use of excessive force by law enforcement against protesters. It is also a reminder of the importance of protecting the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
