The Dallas/Fort Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-DFW), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today denounced University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) for calling on the police in riot gear on May 1 to arrest 21 students, including three UTD professors, for staging a peaceful protest condemning the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

The students were all arrested on a single class B misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass although they were on public property and most attended the University.

At UTD, students were encamped in front of the buildings Wednesday morning after their university failed to meet student demands largely calling for divestment from companies that profit from the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.

Magistrate Judge Lisa Bronchetti refused to allow attorneys to file Appearance Surety Bonds, which is a standard practice for misdemeanors in Collin County. The basis for her refusal was an “oral” standing order to refuse attorney bonds on the specific charge of criminal trespass.

In a statement, CAIR-DFW said:

“CAIR-DFW considers these actions overreach to say the least, and calls upon the Collin County District Attorney, Greg Willis, to drop all charges against those arrested.”

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CONTACT: CAIR-TX Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll, (832) 549-1042, mcarroll@cair.com; National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com