Members of the Texas State community gathered for a ‘Free Speech for Palestine’ rally, protesting the university’s free speech policy, which includes a specific definition of antisemitism on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

The Texas State Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) held the rally as part of their Union Week of Action events. Students kicked off the protest at The Vaquero statue by Old Main and marched to the Stallions statue across campus at 12:20 p.m., all while holding signs and chanting phrases like “Free Palestine.”

At the Stallions, YDSA Co-Chair Allen Dominguez opened the speeches by stating that Gov. Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-44 wrongfully conflates Palestinian solidarity with antisemitism.

“The governor falsely claims that phrases like ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ are antisemitic,” Dominguez said. “There is nothing antisemitic about Palestinians calling for equality and freedom in the land that they were born.”

Abbott’s executive order mandates Texas colleges incorporate the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism into their free speech policies. The order also specifically names the Palestine Solidarity Committee and Students for Justice in Palestine, instructing these groups to be disciplined if they violate the order.

Texas State adopted the definition of antisemitism into its free speech policy on June 20 which states: “Antisemitism – a certain perception of Jews that may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. The term includes rhetorical and physical acts of antisemitism directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals or their property or toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Dominguez also referenced the April protest at UT Austin, where Abbott deployed state troopers to the campus, resulting in the arrests of more than 50 students. He cited this incident as a clear example of Abbott’s stance on free speech on college campuses.

“Governor Abbott did so again on April 29, 2024, when we were out here at the Stallions. Across Texas, when campuses rise up for Palestine, the police are on standby and the university administrations like Texas State comply with this racist order,” Dominguez said.

Wednesday’s rally marked the 55th anniversary of a historic day as on Nov. 13, 1969, Texas State students wearing black armbands gathered near the Stallions to protest the Vietnam War, with a particular focus on the My Lai Massacre. This peaceful sit-in led to the formation of the San Marcos 10.

Dominguez and other protesters such as YDSA Co-Chair Miles Sweet were clad in black armbands.

“[The black armbands are] a pretty historic symbol that people recognize as ‘Oh, these people are fighting for peace.’ None of us are here for hate, but we’re here because we want people to be alive,” Sweet said.

Sweet was also collecting signatures by the Stallions statue, aiming to restore Texas State’s free speech policy to its pre-executive order state. They said YDSA plans to present the petition to Texas State President Kelly Damphousse and at the Texas State University System’s quarterly meeting in May.

Tom Alter, a member of the Texas State Employees Union and a history professor at Texas State, acknowledged that the changes to the free speech policy were beyond the university’s control and were instead a decision made by Abbott.

“But [Damphousse] is in charge of enforcing it,” Alter said. “You can have this awful undemocratic, anti-free speech and anti academic freedom regulation, but it ultimately falls to the university president and campus administrators here on whether they’re going to enforce it.”

Dominguez closed off his speech demanding Texas State change its free speech policy.

“How can we say that we believe in a free Palestine until we demand… that the university change its free speech policy not to be biased against Palestine even under the threat of punishment? Freedom is a muscle and if we don’t exercise it, we’ll lose it,” Dominguez said. “This is not Greg Abbott’s university. This is our university.”

The Star reached out to Chabad at Texas State for a comment but has yet to hear a response.