Protests ensue at jail after 2 students arrested at UH pro-Palestinian encampment

HOUSTON – A group of around 50 protesters have gathered near the Harris County Sheriff’s Inmate Processing Center on Commerce Street after two students were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Houston.

According to the school, the arrests stemmed from an encampment created by a group of roughly 60 protestors at Butler Plaza on the UH campus Tuesday night.

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In accordance with Texas statutes that prohibit tents and encampments on campus grounds, UH police removed the structures surrounding the protest on Wednesday morning. The arrests occurred during that process.

It’s important to note that the protestors were not charged with crimes directly correlating with the gathering. One student was arrested for failure to identify themself. The other for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

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UHPD arrived at the area around 7 a.m. and began issuing verbal notices to remove the encampment. About two hours later, officers dismantled the camp. It took approximately 20 minutes to remove the tents.

A thread of posts on X (formerly Twitter) by user @kasamangcerena captured the events leading up to and following the police intervention in the gathering.

“We support the constitutional rights of free speech and peaceful assembly and continue to encourage groups to engage in expressive activity safely, compliant with university policies and state laws, and respectful of the rights of others with differing views,” a statement released by the university said.