SAN ANTONIO, TX – Four student activists, including both current and former students from the University of Texas at Austin, have filed a federal lawsuit against the university and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The students allege they were unlawfully arrested and subjected to retaliatory discipline for their peaceful demonstration against Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, stems from events that unfolded during a pro-Palestinian protest on April 24, 2024. Legal representation is being provided by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), a prominent civil rights organization.
According to court documents, the plaintiffs claim that Governor Abbott, with support from UT Austin President Jay Hartzell, authorized a police crackdown on demonstrators, resulting in mass arrests. Law enforcement, equipped in riot gear, allegedly violated the students’ constitutional rights—particularly their First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.
The legal filing is one of several emerging lawsuits nationwide that challenge how state officials and universities have responded to campus protests in support of Palestinian civilians and against the war in Gaza.
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A UT Austin spokesperson, Mike Rosen, referred to prior university statements that the police action was necessary to maintain campus order and enforce protest regulations. The university claimed that most of those arrested were not affiliated with UT Austin.
Governor Abbott’s office has yet to issue a formal response. However, in an earlier social media statement during the arrests, the governor declared, “Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Texas.”
The students involved in the lawsuit say they endured significant trauma as a result of their arrest and the university’s subsequent disciplinary measures. Arwyn Heilrayne, a second-year student, described suffering a panic attack when police allegedly threw her to the ground and zip-tied her wrists. She was later diagnosed with PTSD and left her state legislature internship due to the incident.
“This lawsuit is about reclaiming our narrative,” said Heilrayne. “We were not criminals. We were students using our voices to advocate for human rights.”
Another student, Mia Cisco, said the urgency to file the lawsuit increased after witnessing crackdowns on pro-Palestinian advocacy nationwide. Cisco recounted that officers forcibly removed her hijab during the arrest, a traumatic experience that she says underscored the need for legal accountability.
“This is about protecting the right to speak out without fear,” said Cisco, now a third-year student. “We want to ensure that no one else goes through what we did.”
While dozens of students were initially detained, all charges were dropped within 48 hours by the Travis County Attorney’s Office due to insufficient probable cause. Despite this, each of the arrested students reportedly still faced disciplinary actions by the university.
Abed Ayoub, Executive Director of the ADC, emphasized that the broader American public—including many Texans—stand firmly in support of civil liberties.
“Leaders like Governor Abbott are underestimating the importance Americans place on their freedom of speech,” Ayoub stated. “This lawsuit is about preserving that right for everyone, especially for students exercising their voices on critical global issues.”