Pfluger, Cornyn deplore campus riots

May 3—Congressman August Pfluger and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn say the pro-Palestinian protests at American universities are largely the work of outside agitators.

Asked if spies from foreign countries are involved, Pfluger said, "The violent riots across U.S. campuses that are endangering the safety of Jewish students are appalling.

"Congress must get to the bottom of any malign influences that may exist in funding these protests," said the San Angelo Republican who represents the Permian Basin. "In addition I am urging the immediate passage of my legislation to revoke the visas of foreign nationals in the U.S. who endorse terrorist groups like Hamas."

Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general, said the University of Texas at Austin had announced that nearly half of those arrested there had no affiliation with the university.

"The mainstream media would have you understand or would suggest that these are somehow students who are outraged at what's happening in the Middle East," he said, referring to the war in Israel. "I bet the same number holds in other parts of the country with nearly half of those protestors not being students at those institutions.

"What UT did find when law enforcement arrested some of these outside agitators were guns, mallets and other weapons. These are obviously not people who are interested in peaceful protests."

Cornyn said the protests are being funded by Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros of New York City and "dark money" groups that support Antifa and riots that have been staged in American cities in recent years.

"The right to peaceful protests is fundamental, but it does not grant any of us the ability to damage property, threaten the safety of others or violate the rules of our university campuses," he said.