Texas State: Students Confront Fascism, Arrested, & Launch Sit-In Against Police Brutality

On May 1st, Texas State students prepared for a confrontation with members of violent fascist group Texas Nomads, who planned to travel down from Austin and stage a rally in support of “free speech.” Members of Texas Nomads have repeatedly harassed liberal and leftist events in Austin, sometimes stalking people leaving these events. Members have assaulted anti-Trump protestors. Nomads member Christopher Ritchie was at the Charlottesville Nazi rally and has repeatedly gone to Portland to fight alongside Patriot Prayer. Their presence came as a response to a campaign & student government vote to ban Turning Point USA from campus.

SAN MARCOS. TX – On Wed. May 1, four students were brutally arrested by Texas State University Police Department while peacefully protesting threats of organized white supremacist presence on campus. Two of the students arrested are vocal, queer students of color that have been previously targeted by the university administration.

We are still occupying lbj, we are approaching the 15 hour mark of the sit in. We are still going strong but could really use some supplies:
– posters
– markers
– food (vegan options if possible)
– blankets
– chargers
– hygiene products
– feminine hygiene products.

— Resistance TXST (@ResistanceTXST) May 3, 2019

Four students have been released as of this morning 1 student was charged with Class A and B misdemeanors for “interfering with public duties” and “resisting arrest.” A second student was charged with Class A for interfering with public duties and Class C for failure to identify. A third student was charged with Class B for failure to identify; and the fourth student was charged with Class C for “disorderly conduct” and “insulting an officer.”

Despite them being released, we have heard from several administrators that any peaceful assembly will be met with arrest.

TeraLynn Steele, junior, said “The students were continuously provoked for a decent amount of time, in fact, when students were provoked the police moved away. However, when it was a student of color that reacted emotionally to being taunted by a white nationalist, the police reacted quickly and violently. And only when it was a student of color was there a reaction from the police at all.

It is past midnight, we have been locked in the building. We are still on standby for police pressence but the sit in is currently ongoing.

— Resistance TXST (@ResistanceTXST) May 3, 2019

Rhett Parr, junior. said. ‘Student leaders have continuously informed administrators, as well as the Chief of Police, that an increase of police presence on campus actually endangers minority students. We also asked administration to adequately warn university community members of the group’s anticipated presence, so that people could prepare themselves for the dangerous climate that could and did occur. Now we see clearly that the administration and UPD feel comfortable criminalizing students of color without representation and sending them to county jail for petty crimes.

A GoFundMe has been created to assist with the legal fees for students who were criminalized

Come 6 p.m. on the dot [on Thursday, May 2nd], student leaders will be occupying the 4th floor of the LBJ Student Center one year after a three-day sit-in was organized in response to campus wide diversity issues.

We are requesting that the administration be held accountable for the blatant disregard and negligence in regards to the safety of marginalized students.

These are our demands:

1. Handling of student conduct issues by Dean of Students, NOT by San Marcos Police

a. Students should not be transferred from the University Police Department to county jail for misdemeanor charges;

b. Creation of a student task force to assist in handling student conduct issues and non-violent offenses.

2. Mandatory sensitivity training for University Police

a. UPD should be trained in de-escalation tactics as opposed to brute force;

b. UPD should be trained in how to recognize and overcome biases regarding minority students, including but not limited to students of color. LGBTQIA+ students, and students with disabilities;

3. The Addition of a cultural diversity requirement to the general core curriculum

a. This includes the expansion of diverse course options under current core requirements, including but not limited to, “Language, Philosophy, and Culture,” and “Advance Literature Electives”;

4. The creation of a campus workforce by student government to protect workers rights throughout the university.

For more info contact Mena Yasmine (713-505-5743) or Yunuen Alvarado (251-269-3693). Follow Resistance Texas State for updates, supply lists, & other ways to support.