Texas State Troopers have begun arresting pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protestors at the University of Texas at Austin (UTA) per Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's direction.
Beginning last week, protests have consumed a number of universities across the country as students and some faculty have expressed their objection to Israel's military response in the Gaza Strip after last October's invasion of the Jewish state by Islamic militant group Hamas. Students at some campuses, including Columbia University, have also established Gaza encampments on campus.
Over 100 students were arrested at Columbia University last week after refusing to leave the encampment, followed by over 100 more students arrested across protests held at New York University and Yale over the weekend.
Abbott issued a statement shortly after directing Texas State Troopers to disperse the crowd of protestors and arrest those who refuse to comply with state authorities. Protestors at UTA appeared to become more agitated as state troopers arrived on campus.
"Arrests being made right now and will continue until the crowd disperses," Abbott wrote on X late Wednesday afternoon. "These protestors belong in jail."
"Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Texas. Period," the Texas governor continued. "Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled."
A series of political commentators took issue with Abbott's decision to arrest students engaging in protest.
"He's saying he arrested them for hate speech," wrote SCNR News owner Tim Pool. "Oh f--- off."
In another post, Pool suggested protestors wanted the optics of student arrests to further agitate others removed from the demonstrations.
"This is how the cult grows. Convince young default libs to protest. Intentionally agitate so these people get caught up in arrests," he wrote. "Then use the fear and anger of the arrest to draw them into your cult."
Others, including attorney Mike Cernovich, noted the deployment of state troopers resembled that of the 1970 deployment of the National Guard to Kent State University in which four students were shot and killed after demonstrating their opposition to the Vietnam war.
"Kent State massacre was a hoax too," Cernovich wrote. "The 'college kids' were violent rioters who attacked national guard service members who tried to disburse. It was kill or be killed."
"We had been lied to about nearly every historical event. It's your duty to question it all," he added.
Today News Africa reporter Simon Ateba shared a 2019 video from Abbott in which the Texas governor expressed his opposition to speech regulation on college campuses in the state.
Others threw support behind Abbott's decision.
"These nationwide antisemitic protests are disgraceful," wrote Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. "They do not represent Texas or the views of Texans."
"No Jewish student should ever have their safety threatened," Cruz continued. "I'm glad that UT Police and Texas DPS are responding to this situation with the seriousness it deserves."
