Justice Seeker of the Year
The UTD 21

Photo: Anika Sultana | Mercury Staff
[You can check out the Mercury's coverage of the protests here.]

UTD 21 represents the group of students and faculty of UTD who peacefully protested the ongoing genocide in Gaza at their university. They were attacked by SWAT squads, manhandled, arrested and taken to prison. The faculty members were sanctioned and prohibited from entering the university. The DA in Collins County has charged the students for criminal trespassing. The students were not allowed in the university, were threatened with losing their degree and semester.

They have stood courageously for first amendment rights to protest peacefully.

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