International Courant
A College of Texas-Austin lecturer not solely misplaced his job however is now dealing with a prison cost after he was arrested for his alleged involvement in an anti-Israel protest on the campus earlier this month.
FOX 7 in Austin reported that 57-year-old Richard Heyman had been employed by the College of Texas for almost 18 years. His most up-to-date place on the faculty was as a lecturer.
In response to the college’s web site, Heyman has taught programs in topics like city research and up to date cultural geography, and his pursuits embrace city geography, important idea and Marxism.
Heyman was arrested after the Texas Division of Public Security (DPS) accused him of interfering with public duties throughout a pro-Palestinian protest on the Austin, Texas campus on Could 2.
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Former College of Texas, Austin lecturer Richard Heyman was arrested after an incident throughout a protest on the campus on Could 2, 2024. (Travis County)
Gerry Morris, an lawyer representing Heyman, instructed the station his consumer was fired, including that the college ought to have investigated what occurred earlier than taking any motion.
Morris didn’t reply to inquiries from Fox Information Digital on the matter.
“This incident was videotaped by a bystander, and the bystander acquired in contact with us and gave us the video, and it reveals a little bit of a special situation than what’s set out within the arrest affidavit,” Morris instructed FOX 7.
Texas DPS claimed within the affidavit that Heyman yelled expletives of their faces, which Morris didn’t dispute.
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Texas State troopers stand guard throughout pro-Palestinian protests aginst the Israeli onslaught on Gaza in response to Hamas’ October 7 assault on the College of Texas in Austin, Texas, on April 29, 2024. (Picture by SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP through Getty Photos))
Regardless of his consumer shouting at police, Morris accused police of initiating bodily contact with Heyman.
The affidavit suggests Heyman tried to cross a barrier made out of bicycles and put in place by troopers. Heyman allegedly put his fingers in a trooper’s face earlier than performing like he was going to swing a water bottle on the legislation enforcement official.
Police additionally accused Heyman of grabbing one of many bicycles and attempting to drag it away from the fence, although he broke the bell on the bike within the course of.
Morris instructed the station his consumer was pushed and stumbled backwards. As he fell, Heyman grabbed onto the handlebars of the bicycle, the lawyer mentioned.
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Demonstrators collect on the campus of the College of Texas at Austin, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Austin. College students walked out of sophistication on Wednesday as protests over Gaza proceed to brush school campuses across the nation. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle through Getty Photos)
Heyman was not arrested till days later, which Morris mentioned he didn’t imagine would have occurred if not for the political strain on police.
“There’s a lot political strain on them, in the event that they hadn’t taken some motion, I’m positive the governor’s workplace would have been issuing statements criticizing them and different state officers,” Morris mentioned. “If this case didn’t have the political implications that it does, if it was not one thing that had occurred in the course of a politically charged surroundings, I don’t suppose it might go ahead one other day. It’s simply going to depend upon attending to the choice maker that has the braveness to take a look at the information and choose the case primarily based on these information.”
The College of Texas didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
Court docket data present Heyman was charged with interfering with public duties, a misdemeanor within the state of Texas.
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A warrant was issued for his arrest on Could 6, and two days later, he appeared in entrance of a choose who set his bond at $1,000. Heyman later posted bond and was launched.
Heyman is due again in court docket on Could 29.
Greg Wehner is a breaking information reporter for Fox Information Digital.
Story ideas and will be despatched to [email protected] and on Twitter @GregWehner.
UT-Austin lecturer loses job, faces cost for anti-Israel protest incident
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