A Fox 7 photojournalist, identified only as Carlos, described an ordeal of being wrongfully arrested while covering a pro-Palestine protest at the University of Texas at Austin. He was charged with "criminal trespassing" after officers accused him of hitting one of their own, an allegation he denied. "They said that I hit an officer. I didn’t hit an officer. They were pushing me. They were pushing me," Carlos said during the incident, according to KXAN. The arrest sparked a wave of criticism from press freedom advocates, who are now demanding changes to ensure First Amendment rights are respected.
Amid the unfolding protests at the University of Texas, at least 20 individuals were arrested, including the aforementioned photojournalist, as Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for the incarceration of participants in "hate-filled, antisemitic protests". "Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled," said a statement obtained by The Guardian.
The events took place against a backdrop of nationwide campus upheavals related to the Israel-Gaza conflict, with arrests mounting from coast to coast, including Minneapolis and Los Angeles. Following the clash at the University of Texas, protests seemed to proliferate, rather than diminish. The Guardian reported escalating tensions at colleges such as the University of Southern California and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, while a Columbia University protest inspired other schools, despite over 100 arrests by police.
In light of recent events, Blaize-Hopkins highlighted the importance of laws that protect the crucial role journalists play in civil society. "When you are reporting on a story, your job is to get as close to the story as possible, to be the eyes and the ears of the people that can’t be there," she told KXAN. She advocates for legislation similar to California's Senate Bill 98, which SPJ helped pass, shielding journalists from police interference while covering civil unrest.
