Walk against antisemitism at Texas Capitol, held same time as pro-Palestinian 'May Day' protest
Editor’s note: The above video shows KXAN News’ top morning headlines from Sunday, May 5, 2024.
AUSTIN (KXAN)—Set to walk against antisemitism, Jewish community members are continuing to raise their voices as the Israel-Hamas war fails to reach a ceasefire.
Organizers said this walk is to support Jewish college students. This comes as pro-Palestinian protests on the University Texas at Austin campus have escalated over the past few weeks, disrupting campus operations. DPS troopers, UT Police and Austin Police showed up in strong numbers, per a request to maintain campus rules by UT President Jay Hartzell.
According to an April report from the Anti-Defamation league (ADL), antisemitic incidents have increased between 2022 and 2023. ADL correlates these incidents with the Israel-Hamas war.
Specifically in Texas, the ADL report incidents in Southwest Texas are 45% higher between 2022 and 2023.
Antisemitism has gotten the attention of elected officials, such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Abbott issued an executive order in March to deal with the increase in antisemitic incidents, ordering colleges and universities to ensure a safe learning environment for Jewish students.