Texas Students Sue Governor Abbott, UT Austin Over Crackdown on Gaza Protest

May 1: Four current and former students from the University of Texas at Austin have filed a federal lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott, UT Austin President Jay Hartzell, and law enforcement, alleging unlawful arrests and retaliation for participating in a peaceful pro-Palestine protest on campus.

Filed in US District Court in San Antonio by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), the lawsuit claims the defendants violated the students’ First Amendment rights during an April 24, 2024 demonstration against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The suit accuses Abbott of ordering riot police to conduct mass arrests, with the approval of university leadership, in an effort to suppress political speech critical of Israel. The plaintiffs say they were peacefully protesting when law enforcement detained them, allegedly using intimidation and excessive force.

This legal action joins a growing number of lawsuits nationwide targeting university administrators, police, and political leaders over their responses to a wave of pro-Palestinian campus protests that began in spring 2024.

The plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief and damages, asserting their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly were violated in a coordinated effort to silence dissent.