State troopers broke up a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson on Wednesday afternoon.
Texas Department of PUblic Safety troopers gave protestors a chance to remove their tents from the encampment, but many stayed put. That's when state troopers started to deconstruct the area.
"I am really disappointed by the way this has been blown up into a crisis by the arrival of sheriffs and police," one protestor said. "This was a perfectly peaceful gathering. The only acts of violence I've seen here are by police destroying things."
The university said it gave protestors written notice to remove the encampment before authorities moved in. Twenty people were arrested, according to UT Dallas officials.
"Individuals may peacefully assemble in the common outdoor areas of campus to exercise their right to free speech, but they may not construct an encampment or block pathways," the university said in a written statement. "In the last six months, there have been several peaceful protests on the UT Dallas campus. The UT Dallas Police Department and area law enforcement partners are continuing to monitor the situation."
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