Charges dropped against all 57 arrested in connection to UT-Austin pro-Palestinian protest

All charges have been declined against the 57 people arrested in connection to the Wednesday pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Texas.

The Travis County attorney's office said all 57 arrests, which were all criminal trespassing charges, lacked probable cause.

County Attorney Delia Garza, whose office handles misdemeanor cases, told the American-Statesman on Thursday that her office agreed with defense lawyers that there were "deficiencies" with the probable cause arrest affidavits, which are the documents filled out by law enforcement to justify an arrest. At that time on Thursday, 46 of the 57 had charges declined.

While state police with the Texas Department of Public Safety and officers with the Austin Police Department were seen handcuffing people at Wednesday's protest, all 57 arrests were technically by the University of Texas Police Department. This means university police filled out each of the 57 probable cause affidavits.

Nouha Ezouhri, an attorney with the Travis County public defender's office, helped file jail release forms for those arrested at the protest. She told the Statesman on Thursday that it looked like university police "copied and pasted" each probable cause affidavit for every person arrested.

"That's not how it's supposed to be," Ezouhri said.

Everyone arrested in connection to the protest was released from the Travis County Jail on Thursday by mid-afternoon, said Travis County sheriff's office spokesperson Kristen Dark.

None of the protesters faced felony charges, the Travis County district attorney's office confirmed.

Although the charges have been dropped, it's possible that police could decide to fill out more probable cause affidavits and press charges against those arrested, George Lobb, an attorney with the Austin Lawyers Guild, told the Statesman. Police have two years to bring charges against those they arrested under Texas' statute of limitations for misdemeanors.

Stephanie Jacksis, spokesperson for the University of Texas Police Department, said she's uncertain if UT police intend to do that.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Charges dropped against all 57 people arrested in UT protest