The University of Texas at Dallas students arrested at an on-campus encampment protesting the war in Gaza were given written warnings instead of harsher proposed discipline, according to two of the arrested students.
But the protestors still face criminal charges in Collin County after the university called law enforcement to intervene at the May campus demonstration.
A UTD disciplinary hearing panel found there wasn鈥檛 enough evidence to put students on deferred suspension after they were arrested for criminal trespass during what began as a peaceful campus protest and encampment May 1. 四虎影院 independently confirmed the information with one arrested student.
Another arrested student, Nouran Abusaad, shared the news via phone call with a group who walked out of class Monday to protest the growing Middle East conflict on the anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel. Though cleared of academic consequences, Abusaad and other students still aren鈥檛 allowed on campus except for class or class-related activities as part of their bond conditions set by a Collin County judge.
鈥淭his is a victory for the student movement, one we owe to your support, our students and our community,鈥� Abusaad said. 鈥淯TD attempted to stifle the Palestinian movement through systematic violence and academic repression, attempted to set institutional precedent and create fear amongst our student body, and they failed.鈥�
Students are also calling on UTD to ask the Collin County District Attorney鈥檚 Office to drop the criminal trespass charges, which are pending against a total of 21 people.
UTD conducted a trial-like disciplinary hearing with the current and former students in September 鈥� a result of the group鈥檚 decision to reject responsibility for allegedly breaking school rules and to reject the corresponding punishments. Students were accused of violating four university rules: obstructing institutional grounds, disruptive conduct, failing to comply with orders and generally violating university rules.
Current students said they faced deferred suspension, meaning if they violated any other university rules, they鈥檇 immediately be put on suspension. Alumni who graduated in May said UTD warned that until Dec. 13, administrators would deny that the alumni graduated if asked by an outside party such as another school or an employer.
The university said it can鈥檛 comment on student disciplinary matters.
The victory for the arrested students and alumni remains incomplete, Abusaad said. She and other students still want and the University of Texas system to divest from
Since Oct. 7, when Hamas forces attacked Israel and killed about 1,200 people in the deadliest attack in the country's history, Israeli forces have
The war鈥檚 overall death toll also includes Israeli hostages found dead in Gaza, civilians and Iran-backed Hezbollah leaders targeted by Israel and those killed in airstrikes.
Israeli, Jewish, Palestinian and Muslim communities across North Texas Residents have held vigils and protests in the days leading up to and following the anniversary of the war鈥檚 beginning.
Staff of The Mercury, UTD鈥檚 student-run newspaper, say administration pushed out their editor-in-chief in retaliation for the publication鈥檚 coverage of the pro-Palestinian encampment. The staff went on strike and formed a new independent newspaper called The Retrograde.
, Texas Rep. Ana Maria Ramos, D-Dallas, called the discipline against student protesters a violation of their First Amendment rights. Ramos also said she has met with UTD President Richard Benson and other department heads and feels they made the wrong call when it came to The Mercury.
鈥淭hey are on the wrong side of history in addition to not only violating the rights to free speech, but where we are in the greater geopolitics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,鈥� she said.
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