Texas State protesters demand sanctuary campus, accuse Israel of ‘genocide’
Protesters at Texas State University demanded that the campus become a sanctuary location for illegal immigrants.
Demonstrators also demanded that Texas State divest from the Jewish state.
Activists at Texas State University in San Marcos staged a pro-Palestinian protest on April 3 to demand the university sever ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), divest from Israel, and declare itself a “sanctuary campus” for illegal immigrants.
The demonstration, led by the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), urged the university to send out alerts when ICE agents are near campus and to stop cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
Protesters accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza and displayed signs reading, “The U.S. is Isr*el’s B***h,” “Zionism Has Got to Go,” and “Half of Gaza is Children.”
[RELATED: ‘F*ING LOSER B**’: Protesters jeer and harass at Riley Gaines SFSU event: VIDEO]
Videos from the event show demonstrators aggressively blocking walkways and shouting at bystanders. In one exchange, a protester asked a student, “What would you do if somebody blew up your house?”
Texas law prohibits public institutions from adopting sanctuary policies and mandates cooperation with immigration enforcement under Senate Bill 4, signed in 2017. Critics argue the student demands would place the university in legal jeopardy and compromise public safety.
In a statement to Campus Reform, Texas State reaffirmed its commitment to free speech but did not comment on the specific protest or policy requests.
[RELATED: ‘Free speech surges on college campuses: POLL’]
“Texas State University’s (TXST) priority is the safety of our students, staff, and faculty at all times,” a spokesperson said. “TXST is a public institution and supports First Amendment rights, which include freedom of speech, inquiry, and dissenting opinions.”
“We have established policies and protocols that allow individuals to safely engage in expressive activity on our property, conducted within institutional regulations and complying with all state and federal laws,” the statement continued.
Campus Reform reached out to Texas State YDSA. This article will be updated accordingly.
