Four students have been arrested on the Texas State University campus during what university police are calling “an incident in the Quad.” The university issued a statement that the incident “involves only students and no identified outside groups are involved.”
The incident occurred on the day when the Texas Nomads SAR right-wing group had scheduled a march on campus to protest the student government’s vote against the Texas State chapter of Turning Point USA. More details are forthcoming.
Great day to be a bobcat! #txst pic.twitter.com/ERs3CDzotl
— Jams the Writer (@jguhlin) May 1, 2019
Another student has been taken inside UPD after a scuffle occured and began yelling in the cops face. Police presence has increased since the scuffle. pic.twitter.com/Q71fTYfEYJ
— Camelia Juarez (@CameliaJuarez) May 1, 2019
This story will be updated as details emerge.
UPDATE: What began as a rumored demonstration by a right-wing group at Texas State University turned into a large gathering of protesters in the Quad and the arrest of four Texas State students Wednesday afternoon.
“The University Police Department and local law enforcement are on the scene of an incident in the Quad on the San Marcos campus where four students have been arrested,” the university said in an official statement. “This incident involves only students and no identified outside groups are involved. Law enforcement will continue to monitor. At this time there is no immediate threat to the campus.”
Videos posted on Twitter showed what appeared to be university police handcuffing a student who was on the ground and another student who had gone into the UPD station getting put against the wall and handcuffed.
The day began quietly enough on the Quad – just before 8 a.m., a small group of anti-fascist protesters were at the Fighting Stallions statue handing out flyers and holding signs in anticipation of a march by the right-wing Texas Nomads SAR. The Texas Nomads initially planned to march on campus on April 23 to protest a student government vote banning Turning Point USA from campus. The group rescheduled its protest for May 1 but it is not clear if they actually showed up.
UPD posted on Twitter Wednesday morning that there would be an increased police presence on campus because of the possibility of a march by “outside groups.”
“There have been reports on social media indicating that outside groups may be planning a demonstration on the San Marcos campus today and that some protests may occur,” the tweeted statement read. “The safety of our campus is our highest priority so please be alert and report any incidents to UPD at 911.”
At press time, university spokesmen said they did not know what the students were charged with.
The Texas State chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America tweeted that several activists protesting white supremacists on campus had been arrested and urged followers to demand the activists’ release.
