"Tense interactions" and "physical struggles" erupt at UT-Austin campus amid pro-Palestinian protest (2024)

Texas State troopers in riot gear, including some on horseback, began breaking up a group of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Texas at Austin shortly after ademonstration began Wednesday.

The Palestine Solidarity Committee in Austin organized the walkout and occupation on the school's South Lawn. According to an Instagram post announcing the event, students were encouraged to bring "blankets, food and water, face masks, and lots of energy."

Amelia Kimball, associate managing editor at The Daily Texan, told CNN there were no plans for an encampment like on other university campuses across the country.

Kimballsaid students gathered in a central area of campus and within minutes were ordered to disperse. Kimball said she's seen law enforcement form multiple blockades in the area to keep the crowd dispersed.

She also described "tense interactions" and "physical struggles between police and students." Some of those scenes, including an arrest, were captured by CNN affiliate KEYE.

"I don't think students were expecting this kind of a response," she said on CNN, saying some students have spread out while others remain in the crowd.

Kimball said she started noticing a large law enforcement presence earlier in the day before the protest began.

CNN has reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the University of Texas and Austin Police.

There is "significant activity" at the University of Southern California's University Park Campus due to a demonstration, according to an alert sent by the school on Wednesday.

"There may be difficulty accessing that area," according to the school.

Tuesday's protest on campus was peaceful this morning and protesters had set up tents, according to CNN's Nick Watt, who is on the scene.

Texas State Police were seen pushing back pro-Palestinian protesters on the University of Texas at Austin campus Wednesday afternoon, as witnessed by CNN affiliate KEYE.

Footage aired on CNN showed a chaotic scene, with what appeared to be shouts of “disperse” from law enforcement officers and a large crowd of student protesters shouting back.

“There does seem to be some escalating levels of distress, and protesters are continuing to chant, and the police are forming multiple blockades to keep protesters from moving,” Amelia Kimball, associate managing editor at The Daily Texan, said on air with CNN.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg reacted Wednesday to the ongoing pro-Palestinian protests that are taking place on university campuses across the country, calling for protesters to “safely” make their voices heard.

He also highlighted the importance of distinguishing between peaceful protests and harassment.

“It is important when people are exercising those rights to free speech, to protest, to assembly, that they do so safely,” Buttigieg said on Fox News Wednesday afternoon, adding later: “We have to make a distinction between what is legitimate free speech, inquiry, protest, debate, ferociously contested ideas. That’s one thing. And of course, also a recognition of the pain that is driving so much of the passion around the issues in the Middle East.”

Buttigieg also condemned any expressions of antisemitism or threats of physical violence or harm against Jewish students.

“Any expression of antisemitism or hatred is unconscionable, it must be called out, it must be confronted. And that’s certainly what President Biden has done in unambiguous terms,” Buttigieg said, continuing: “Especially disturbing [is] the idea that a student would be targeted and harassed simply because they are Jewish, or simply because they look Jewish.”

Columbia University student protesters issued a statement on X Wednesday afternoon claiming that university administration provided a written commitment Tuesday night to not call in the New York Police Department or the National Guard to break up the encampments after students refused to stay at the negotiating table.

"The University's previous threats of an imminent sweep by the NYPD or the National Guard had severed negotiations. The administration's threats backfired when student negotiators refused to stay at the table," according to the statement.

Susan Ellingwood, assistant vice president of public affairs at Columbia, told CNN earlier Wednesday that “deploying the National Guard wasneveron the table.”

The students'statementwas posted on behalf of Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the student group responsible for organizing the original encampment on the East Lawn. It has also been involved in organizing the West Lawn encampment and negotiating with Columbia's administration.

Student protesters said they plan to hold a news briefing at 2:30 pm ET outside the university's Butler Library.

Two arrests were made during a pro-Palestinian protest on Ohio State University’s campus on Tuesday, according to a university spokesperson.

“When yesterday’s demonstration became disruptive to the students, faculty and staff in Meiling Hall, the university issued multiple warnings. When the disruptive activity continued, two individuals were arrested,” OSU spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said. “Ohio State has an unwavering commitment to freedom of speech and took this action in alignment with our space use rules to provide for the orderly conduct of university business.”

“When protected speech becomes incitement or threats of violence, Ohio State has and will always move quickly to enforce the law and university policy. I will not compromise on this,” the president wrote, noting that OSU would continue to have university police on site for student demonstrations.

Any violation of university policy will get a warning, but may be “cited, referred to Student Conduct and/or arrested” should they continue, Johnson told CNN.

When asked if OSU would consider the students’ demands for divestment from Israel, Johnson said state law “prohibits the university from divesting any interests in Israel and prohibits adopting or adhering to a policy that requires divestment from Israel or with persons or entities associated with it.”

President Joe Biden will be in New York City Friday, but White House and campaign officials told CNN Wednesday there have been no internal discussions about him visiting Columbia University.

Some demonstrators say the Biden administration is complicit in the deaths of the many thousands of civilians in Gaza.

Groups of senior White House officials have traveled to cities with large Muslim and Arab populations in recent weeks to meet with local community leaders and hear their concerns – gatherings that have at times prompted calls for boycotts.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Tuesday that the White House was monitoring “closely” the protests on college campuses and that he takes seriously the conversations he has had with community leaders about the current “painful moment.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson says he will call on Columbia University PresidentNemat "Minouche"Shafikto resign when he joins Jewish students on campus Wednesday.

Johnson added that “what we're seeing on these college campuses across the country is disgusting and unacceptable.”

While at the university this afternoon, Johnson will have a meal with Jewish students before the event. He will be joined by New York Reps. Mike Lawler, Nicole Malliotakis and others in the New York Republican delegation.

“We're relying on and calling upon and demanding these university officials to control of the situation, which is just completely out of control right now,” Johnson said.

Johnson also proposed revoking federal funding and "student visas for these violent protests" in the wake of the unrest.

Columbia University notified students and faculty Wednesday morning that the hybrid model for classes will extend to final exams.

Provost Angela Olinto said in an email that all final course assessments, including exams, presentations and projects, "must include aremote option for students who have requested support for virtual assessment."

The university announced classes, which end Monday, would be hybrid for the remainder of the academic year.Final exams take place from May 3 to May 10.

Olinto said that final assessments at Columbia's Medical Center and Manhattanville campus will continue as scheduled.