April 24, 2024

As the war in Palestine raged on, the death tole in Gaza continued to climb, reaching over 34,000 Palestinians killed by Israel. People around the world continued to express their outrage against the continued actions taken by Israel and nations started taking their own stances against Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The United States, a fierce ally of Israel, continued sending aid to Israel raising tension with citizens across the country who grew more angry and defiant of the nations support of the genocide being committed. Beginning at Columbia University on April 17, hundreds of students took to the south lawn on the college campus and began what would lead to a 14-day encampment. The so called “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” resulted in hundreds of student arrests and police violence and inspired encampments on college campuses all over the country. College student and faculty walked out of class and pitched tents on designated spots in support of those at Columbia and in Palestine and uniformly called for a ceasefire.

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These pictures were taken on the University of Texas campus during the attempted Gaza Solidarity Encampment. The gathering in front of Gregory Gym began small and peaceful, with chants from leaders and participant echoing down the campus corridor calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for UT to divest from all affiliation with Israel. Met with an immediately intense police presence called upon by Governor Gregg Abbott and UT President Jay Hartzell, officials were putting their fists down in the shadow of recent violent activity on other college campuses. Protesters started marching down the cobble pathway of central campus, surrounded by riot squads, mounted police officers and several police vehicles. After marching in a different direction than determined, protesters were warned to disperse repeatedly, but after turning and being riled back up with the continuing momentum, things quickly got out of hand. With the sudden violent arrest of the President of the Palestinian Solidarity Committee, the march erupted into violence with protesters and police in riot gear facing off. 79 protesters were arrested by the end of the day.