The Austin office of the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas, Austin), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed Travis County Attorney Delia Garza’s decision to drop all 79 protestors’ charges of criminal trespass and her affirmation that government officials cannot suppress speech they do not agree with.
On April 29th, 79 protestors were arrested and charged with criminal trespass for peacefully protesting on the University of Texas (UT) at Austin campus against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Some of these protestors are students now facing exceptional disciplinary procedures from UT Austin for alleged violations, along with other students who were arrested during the April 24th anti-genocide protest.
In a press conference held today, Travis County Attorney Delia Garza announced that her office “cannot meet the legal burden to prove these 79 criminal trespass cases beyond a reasonable doubt and they will be dismissed.” She also expressed concerns about the lack of regard for the constitutional right to free speech by the UT Austin administration and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. However, other charges related to the protests remain pending.
In response to the Travis County Attorney’s decision, the University of Texas at Austin said it was “deeply disappointed” and actions that violate institutional rules should not be met with “political posturing and press conferences.”
Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR Austin Operations Manager, said “The decision is a relief for the students, their families, and civil rights and free speech organizations. We hope that the dismissal of these charges will prompt the UT Austin administration to reconsider any disciplinary actions against the students. Attorney Garza’s statement highlighted the undue influence of the governor and the UT Austin administration in the arrests. We share her wish that the situation had been handled differently.”
Sameeha Rizvi, CAIR Austin Civic Engagement Organizer, said, “The university’s response to the Travis County Attorney’s decision is deeply disappointing. We believe they disregarded the fundamental right to free speech at the behest of the governor’s executive order attacking pro-Palestine student organizations. This is the real political posturing, undermining students’ rights to express their views freely.”
BACKGROUNDER: CAIR Austin previously wrote press releases calling on UT Austin to follow normal disciplinary procedure in probe of anti-genocide protests , condemning the unnecessary and excessive arrests of students on Apr. 24th ,and condemning president Hartzell attempt to justify the violence he invited against his students.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Austin Operations Manager, Shaimaa Zayan, 512-785-7105, info@cairtx.org
CAIR-Austin Civic Engagement Organizer, Sameeha Rizvi, (832) 409-7702, srizvi@cair.com