Jolt Action firmly supports the empowerment of young civic engagement and peaceful assembly, which are essential components of protecting our democracy. For that reason, we condemn the arrests that were made at The University of Texas at Austin during the recent student protests.

The students involved in the protest, some of them Jewish, were exercising their free speech and shedding light on global issues affecting our communities. Attempts to label the protest as anti-Semitic are grossly ignorant and unjustified. Governor Abbott’s approval of the arrests and call for expulsion is not only hypocritical as he has signed laws protecting free speech at colleges, it is also an infringement on our constitutional right to freedom of assembly. 

Peaceful protests are protected by our Bill of Rights, and it’s disheartening to witness such heavy-handed tactics, especially when Universities are supposed to be spaces for inquiry and expression. We stand in solidarity with the students and demand accountability from university officials and law enforcement.

As Texas politicians continue to target marginalized groups with legislation and disenfranchise progressive voices, Jolt Action’s motivation to organize and elect Latino leaders grows feverishly.

“We are showing solidarity with fellow young Tejanos who are exercising their democratic rights to bring light to a global issue,” said Jolt Action Executive Director Diana Maldonado. “We stand to uphold the right to peacefully assemble and protect democracy. We will do everything in our power to support young Tejanos working to uphold accountability for a better Texas.”

Learn more about Jolt’s work to protect democracy and encourage civic engagement at jolttx.org

Contact the Jolt Action Communications team at [email protected] for media opportunities. 

ABOUT JOLT ACTION

Founded in 2016, Jolt Action is a progressive civic engagement organization focused on building the political power and influence of young Latinos in Texas. 

###