UT Austin anti-Israel agitators freed after governor said they 'belong in jail'

Some of nan dozens of protesters who were arrested astatine an anti-Israel objection astatine The University of Texas astatine Austin connected Wednesday person been freed contempt Texas Gov. Greg Abbott saying they should beryllium locked up.

Fifty-seven group were arrested astatine nan campus, nan Texas Tribune reports, citing a Travis County sheriff's spokesperson, while UT Austin said that 26 of those arrested were not affiliated pinch nan college.

Abbott, a Republican, had earlier slammed nan protesters who fought pinch Texas Department of Public Safety troopers successful riot cogwheel during chaotic scenes. 

UT-AUSTIN PRESIDENT DEFENDS SHUTTING DOWN ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS: 'OUR RULES MATTER AND THEY WILL BE ENFORCED'

Pro-Palestinian protesters march astatine nan University of Texas connected Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Jay Janner / American-Statesman)

"These protesters beryllium successful jail," Abbott wrote connected X. "Antisemitism will not beryllium tolerated successful Texas. Period. Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at immoderate nationalist assemblage aliases assemblage successful Texas should beryllium expelled."

A mini group formed extracurricular Travis County Jail connected Thursday and shouted connected immoderate of nan suspects arsenic they were trim loose, Fox 11 Austin reports. 

Criminal charges were dropped against 46 of those arrested arsenic prosecutors said nan charges lacked probable cause, nan Texas Tribune reports.

UT Austin said successful a connection that location was "significant information by extracurricular groups" pointing to nan much than 2 twelve arrested who nan assemblage says are neither students nor staff.  

UT Austin said nan protestation was organized by nan Palestine Solidarity Committee, which seeks to "paralyze nan operations of universities crossed nan country." 

"This extracurricular group beingness is what we’ve seen from nan affiliated nationalist organization’s efforts to disrupt and create disorder," UT Austin said. "Thirteen pro-Palestinian free reside events person taken spot astatine nan university, mostly without incident since October. In contrast, this 1 successful peculiar expressed an intent to disrupt nan field and directed participants to break organization rules and inhabit nan university, accordant pinch nationalist patterns."

Democratic State Rep. Gina Hinojosa changeable backmost astatine Abbott’s claims nan protesters were driven by antisemitism.

"Nice effort but this isn’t astir antisemitism," Hinojosa wrote connected X successful consequence to Abbott's comments.

"This is astir a warfare that students reason and their correct to stitchery and protestation it. These are our kids, Governor. Stop trying to bait them to service your governmental ambitions."

Hundreds of students walked retired of people earlier connected Wednesday successful an effort to inhabit nan South Lawn connected campus. As pinch akin protests crossed nan country, demonstrators are calling connected nan assemblage to divest from Israeli companies linked to nan warfare successful Gaza and request that nan fighting travel to an end. 

State troopers apprehension a man astatine a protestation astatine nan University of Texas connected April 24, 2024. (Jay Janner/American-Statesman)

EMORY UNIVERSITY RIPS ANTI-ISRAEL 'ACTIVISTS' DISRUPTING CAMPUS; POLICE USE TEAR GAS, ZIP-TIES DURING ARRESTS

The protests travel arsenic nan Israel-Hamas warfare surpassed nan six-month milestone earlier this month, which has resulted successful tens of thousands of civilian Palestinian deaths. The stories of suffering successful Gaza person sparked world calls for a cease-fire and protests astir nan world.

University of Texas astatine Austin President Jay Hartzell said he unequivocally defended his determination to unopen down an anti-Israel protestation and said he recognized that location was "a batch of emotion surrounding these events." 

Peaceful protests wrong our rules are acceptable," Hartzell said successful a lengthy connection Wednesday.

"Breaking our rules and policies and disrupting others’ expertise to study are not allowed. The group that led this protestation stated it was going to break Institutional Rules. Our rules matter, and they will beryllium enforced. Our assemblage will not beryllium occupied," nan president added.

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that nan protesters should beryllium put successful prison. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, connected Thursday, dozens of demonstrators attempted to erect a shelter encampment astatine a courtyard astatine Princeton University, only for assemblage constabulary to break them up and make 2 arrests. While demonstrators took down their tents, students continued their protests by staging a sit-down connected tarps and blankets astatine nan New Jersey college.

Police were besides called to Emory University successful Atlanta to remove extracurricular agitators trespassing connected nan school's campus, according to Laura Diamond, adjunct vice president of University Communications.

The University of Southern California (USC) announced its campus will stay closed "until further notice" pursuing a ample anti-Israel protestation connected Wednesday that ended pinch 93 arrested. The schoolhouse has besides canceled its "main stage" commencement owed to nan anti-Israel disruptions. 

Fox News Digital's Chris Pandolfo and Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report.