Collin County indicts 14 protesters arrested during May 1 encampment

Fourteen of the 21 individuals arrested at UTD last May when law enforcement raided a pro-Palestine encampment were officially indicted by a Collin County grand jury April 24 for obstruction of a passageway. 

Indictment means a jury believes there is enough evidence to reasonably suspect that a defendant committed a crime, after indictment a criminal trial begins. According to Texas penal code, obstruction of a passageway is a Class B misdemeanor. If found guilty, the 14 individuals could face up to 180 days in jail, a fine of up to $2,000 and/or community supervision. 

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said the remaining seven cases were no-billed, meaning the grand jury did not find enough evidence to indict, and will not be prosecuted. A no-bill verdict does not stop prosecutors from presenting the case to another grand jury in the future, but it does mean the case is effectively terminated until prosecutors reopen it — such as by finding additional incriminating evidence. Law enforcement can continue to investigate and build a case against defendants that receive a no-bill verdict. 

Willis said when announcing the indictment that the charges are because of the the unauthorized encampment student protesters constructed on campus May 1, which he said disrupted UTD.

“Free speech is protected, blocking access and refusing lawful commands is not,” Willis said in the announcement. “These charges reflect that a clear line exists between protest and unlawful disruption.”

Willis said the 14 facing charges refused law enforcement’s orders to dismantle the encampment as well as “repeated commands to clear the walkway” so officers could dismantle it themselves. Instead, those indicted sat down in a circle inside the encampment with locked arms. 

Despite the encampment occurring in the part of campus under Dallas County’s jurisdiction, all 21 arrestees were taken to Collin County Jail and are being tried in its legal system.

The indictments come after months of silence from UTD administration, despite alumni, faculty and student petitions calling on UTD to drop its case against the protesters. On May 10, the Academic Senate passed a motion calling for UTD to “drop or refrain from pressing legal charges.” In a May 22 Academic Senate meeting, President Richard Benson said the university would not interfere with the legal proceedings since they were in Collin County’s hands and he “wanted to see how it plays out.”

Collin County case records show that at least six alumni and four current UTD students are among the indicted. As of publication, the cases against the three faculty members arrested at the encampment are marked as closed by the county. 

The Retrograde reached out to UTD’s Office of Communications for updated comments on the university’s stance on the indictments and ongoing criminal proceedings; the office did not immediately respond. 

This is a breaking news story. The Retrograde will provide more details as new information emerges.