Austin, TX
Criminal trespass charges dismissed for 79 UT-Austin pro-Palestinian protesters – UPI.com
June 26 (UPI) — Charges filed against 79 pro-Palestinian protesters, who were arrested in April at the University of Texas at Austin campus, will be dismissed, according to prosecutors who attracted praise from Muslim and free speech advocates.
Travis County Attorney Delia Garza made the announcement Wednesday during a press conference explaining the decision was based on a number of factors, including whether they would be able to obtain a conviction by a jury.
“After weighing all the evidence, we cannot meet our legal burden to prove these 79 criminal trespass cases beyond a reasonable doubt and they will be dismissed,” she said.
The protest erupted at the school as many had at universities across the United States and Canada in support of Palestinians and in criticism of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. The protesters were generally demanding that their schools divest from Israel and companies that support its military.
On April 29, law enforcement officers rounded up protesters who were demonstrating on the South Lawn of the UT-Austin campus in a police action directed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and at the request for assistance by the school. The school said some were arrested for criminal trespass while other were arrested for disorderly conduct.
Abbott has been a vocal critic of the protesters, calling for demonstrators to be arrested and describing their demonstration as “hate-filled” and “anti-Semitic.”
The arrests on April 29 came days after more than two dozen protesting on campus were arrested.
The local Palestine Solidarity Committee behind the protest accused Abbott and the police of violating their First Amendment rights. Garza on Wednesday seemingly chastised the Republican governor for his actions that day.
“The decisions that were made in response to these protests continue to show, as I’ve said before, the severe lack of leadership we expect from our leaders, as they continue to prioritize extreme government overreach over actual public safety,” she said.
This is the second time Garza has dismissed charges filed against protesters arrested that day, with the first batch being thrown out shortly after the police action on the grounds of lacking probable cause.
She told reporters that the charges dismissed Wednesday were all for criminal trespass and that some cases resulting from April’s arrest are still under review.
“The decision is a relief for the students, their families and civil rights and free speech organizations,” Shaimaa Zayan, Austin operations manager for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said in a statement.
“We hope that the dismissal of these charges will prompt the UT Austin administration to reconsider any disciplinary actions against the students. Attorney Garza’s statement highlighted the undue influence of the governor and the UT Austin administration in the arrests. We share her wish that the situation had been handled differently.”
UPI has contacted both UT-Austin and Austin’s branch of the Palestine Solidarity Committee for comment.
Late last week, Manhattan District Attorney’s Office dismissed charges laid against 31 of 46 pro-Palestinians charged with trespassing in connection to last month’s demonstrations inside Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall.
The office said 14 of the defendants were offered to have their charges dismissed if they avoided arrest over the next six months, an offer the demonstrators rejected.
AUSTIN, Texas — After Senator Charles Perry vowed to introduce another bill to ban THC in Texas next legislative session, an Austin cannabis shop owner is urging lawmakers to find a middle ground.
Estella Castro owns Austinite Cannabis Co., a family-owned shop that makes and sells cannabis and hemp products.
Austinite Cannabis Co. (Photo: CBS Austin/Audrey Wong)
Her business has faced a potential THC ban before. During the 2025 legislative session, Senate Bill 3 attempted to enact a broad ban on all cannabinoids except CBD and CBG.
Castro says she was most worried for her customers. “It was a big initial hit of like, what are we gonna do? How are we gonna pivot? How are we gonna keep the doors open for everybody to keep their jobs?” she said.
RELATED | Texas state senator plans to introduce new THC ban bill in upcoming session
That bill passed, but was later vetoed by Governor Greg Abbott. Similar legislation failed to pass during the subsequent special session.
However, the possibility of a total ban bill being introduced and passed next session could spell trouble for Austinite Cannabis.
During a hearing Tuesday, July 7, Senator Charles Perry vowed to present such a bill next session as public officials, medical experts, and others discussed THC’s medical uses, effects on minors, and regulation.
Castro says over half of the store’s revenue comes from products that contain THC.
“I would say it’s about a 60/40 split: 60% THC and 40 CBD… So feel like it is a huge number that affects my store in so many ways,” she said.
ALSO | Texas French Bread reopens dining room four years after fire
She feels that a total ban on THC would negatively affect multiple parties.
“Banning it is just hurting the consumer,” she said. “Making the consumer go and find a street dealer… killing any dispensaries… it’s gonna hurt your small business owner.”
If another THC ban bill is written, it will be introduced during the next legislative session, which begins in January 2027.
In the meantime, Castro’s two stores will continue to operate as normal. She hopes lawmakers will think twice about instituting a complete ban on THC.
“I feel like we’re better than that, you know, we’re Texas,” she said. “We need to find some middle ground where it’s not a complete ban, and we can still be able to come together.”
AUSTIN (KXAN) – Trevor Goosby is a projected first-round pick in the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft. The Texas offensive lineman anchors the group up front for one of the best teams in the country and was named a preseason All-American by Walter Camp.
But his football career felt in jeopardy when he was in high school.
“That was kind of my biggest question,” said Goosby. “I was really nervous because would I be the same football player coming back?”
Goosby was born with a congenital heart defect and had open-heart surgery when he was just 16 years old. He wasn’t sure how this would change his everyday life, including his football career.
“Definitely a lot of nerves just because you’re getting your ribs cracked open essentially and getting your heart worked on…It was a scary moment. I remember driving up to the hospital super nervous.”
Goosby was able to recover and become a great football player. He said not only has he become a person in learning to fight through adversity, but it helped him as a player as well with improved endurance.
Now, the star Longhorn is giving back as much as possible.
Goosby hosted a camp in Austin to benefit the Children’s Heart Foundation. The organization works to fund research on congenital heart defects.
The offensive tackle is matching all donations up to $20,000 made to the Children’s Heart Foundation through the event and campaign.
“It means a lot to me just because of the heart condition I did have back when I was 16. That just kind of changed my life. I just want to bring awareness to that.”
The camp was at Hyde Park High School in Northwest Austin. Goosby spoke about what he hopes the young campers took away from the event.
“I think it’s just more than football. Football is a big part of what I do but it’s not who I am…I just want to show all these kids that I’m just another great guy and just someone they can look up to.”
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