As students chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” Jewish students spoke fox news digital About the anti-Semitism and extreme anger they experienced on campus during this week’s protests.
Hundreds of protesters gathered on Wednesday for participating in an uncontrolled anti-Israel protest on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin that included “significant participation from outside groups,” according to a statement from the school. About 60 people were arrested, but criminal charges were dropped against 46 of the 57 protesters.
UT Austin joins Universities like Columbia and Yale, as well as the University of Southern California, where anti-Israel protests have made headlines in recent days. UT Austin said the protest was organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, with the aim of “paralyzing the operations of universities across the country”.
Amid the protests, an anti-Israel student could be heard saying to a Jewish student, “F— you Zion Nazi b—-,” and several students told Fox News Digital that they were approached Went and was told to “go back”. To Germany.” Other chants such as “APD, KKK, IDF/They’re all the same” were also heard, comparing the Austin Police Department and Israeli Defense Forces to the KKK.
Levy, a Jewish student who wore a kippah and had an Israeli flag tied over his shoulders, told Fox News Digital Wednesday that the protest was made up of “pro-Hamas” individuals, but to make sure it did not end with law enforcement. Expressed gratitude that everyone remained. “Relatively peaceful.”
“We have seen some incidents of violence against officers,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of angry people, I’ve seen a lot of people crying, I’ve heard a lot of Jew hatred. I don’t call it anti-Semitism anymore, I think that’s mixing it, It’s what Jews hate when a girl comes up to me and says, ‘You should go back to Germany.'”
Levy said, “Every time they protest, it’s going to make me more noisy, it’s going to make me feel proud to be a Jew and I’m not going to go home. They’re not going to scare me.” “I know that university administrations are helping us make sure that Jews feel safe on college campuses. I’ve seen a lot of anti-Israel protests and I understand that. I’ve seen a lot of pro-Hamas slogans, I’ve heard a lot about him.”
He concluded, “I’m ready for it to end, I’m ready for Jew hatred to have no place on our campus.” “I am pleased that law enforcement and the administration are taking the right steps to ensure that hate has no place at the University of Texas.”
Another Jewish student, Jeremy, told Fox News Digital that he had also been told by anti-Israel protesters to “go back to Germany” and described the protests as “extremely anti-Semitic.”
“I clearly support the right to protest, no matter what,” he said. But, “It’s becoming a little bit anti-Semitic and, of course, that’s not how it should be.”
Zachary, a Jewish student, told Fox News Digital that he was protesting to represent Israel and stand in solidarity with the Jewish people.
“It’s sad, you know, anti-semitic rhetoric Being spread everywhere,” he said. “We hear chanting and things like that. “It’s really hard to hear, but it’s important that we stand here calmly and share information and be prepared to discuss with individuals.”
“But yes, it is disappointing to hear this (anti-Israel slogans),” he said. “We go to a school with such a great education and such a great system and this rhetoric is still spreading on campus.”
APD and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) were seen making arrests while protesters chanted, “Go home pigs!” Keffiyeh-wearing protesters attempted to set up some tents before police intervened.
DPS later told Fox News Digital that the arrests were made to “support UT Police in preventing any unlawful assembly and maintaining peace by arresting anyone involved in any type of criminal activity, including criminal trespass “
Republican government. Greg Abbott condemned the protests On X as chauvinistic and anti-Semitic.
“These protesters belong in jail,” Abbott wrote. “Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in Texas. Period. Any student attending any public college or university in Texas who engages in hateful, anti-Semitic protests should be expelled.”
UT Austin told Fox News Digital on Wednesday afternoon that it “does not tolerate” disruptive protests and that evening university President Jay Hartzell issued a statement Regarding the protest activity, he called it a “challenging day”.
“We’ve seen a lot of activity that we don’t normally experience on our campus, and there’s a lot of emotion surrounding these events,” Hartzell wrote. “Today, our university stood firm in enforcing its rules while protecting the constitutional right to free speech.”
Anti-Israel protesters continue nationwide disruptions with tensions at USC, Harvard and Columbia
Jay Hartzell, president of the University of Texas at Austin, speaks during the National Association of Business Economics (NABE) Economic Policy Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Dallas, Texas, U.S. (Nitashia Johnson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Peaceful protests are acceptable under our rules,” he said. “Breaking our rules and policies and disrupting the ability of others to learn is not allowed.”
Hartzell also praised law enforcement and staff for allowing peaceful protests to occur “within the rules.”
“We are grateful to the countless staff members and state and university law enforcement officials, as well as support personnel, who have shown extraordinary composure in the face of the ongoing difficult situation at universities across the country,” he said.
“There is a way to exercise freedom of expression and civil discourse, and our Office of the Dean of Students continues to offer ways to ensure that protests can occur within the rules,” he said. “The University of Texas We will continue to take necessary steps so that all our university functions continue without any interruption.”
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Fox News’ Christopher White, Andrea Vacchiano, Lawrence Richard and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
