Four college students in Texas were arrested after one allegedly took a “Make America Great Again” hat off the head of another student.
The situation unfolded on May 1 at the Texas State San Marcos campus.
The incident started when a group of counter-protesters turned up ahead of the slated arrival of the Texas Nomads SAR, a group that announced on social media that it was going to protest the Student Government’s proposed ban of popular conservative group Turning Point USA, according to the university’s newspaper.
Before the Nomads arrived on campus, one student took the so-called MAGA hat off the head of another student and was arrested, according to eyewitness accounts. Three other students were also arrested.
Snapchat recordings show a student being detained inside UPD by 4 campus officers for taking someones MAGA hat. (????:student Bryar Kappers) pic.twitter.com/zbrNEqb7Ts
— Camelia Juarez (@CameliaJuarez) May 1, 2019
Another student has been taken inside UPD after a scuffle occured and began yelling in the cops face. Police presence has increased since the scuffle. pic.twitter.com/Q71fTYfEYJ
— Camelia Juarez (@CameliaJuarez) May 1, 2019
They were identified as Nayir Freeman, Claudia Gasponi, Tyvonte Williams Davis, and Lana Laniya. It wasn’t clear which one allegedly took the hat.
Video footage recorded by Camelia Juarez, a reporter with KSAT, showed several students being arrested after a scuffle broke out following the first arrest and some students shouting at police officers.
The four people were arrested by university officers and turned over to the San Marcos Police Department.
The Nomads reportedly never showed up on campus. A Facebook page for the group describes it as “an organization of everyday people who are prepared to stand up and protect our streets and communities.”
“We acknowledge that the country is in a time of need and it is time to stand up and protect our rights and the rights of others. We stand with and support our police and first responders! We believe in letting our voices be heard and we will not be silenced. We believe in protecting those attacked and targeted for expressing their God-given rights guaranteed by the constitution,” the group added in a mission statement.
There was no information about a planned event on May 1 on the page.
Posted by Texas State University Police on Wednesday, May 1, 2019
In a statement, the Texas State University Police said before the incident that it was enhancing the police presence on the San Marcos campus.
“There have been reports on social media indicating that outside groups may be planning a demonstration on the San Marcos campus today,” it said, “and that some protests may occur.”
The Nomads page commented on the post, pushing back against claims that the group is a white nationalist organization.
“We have worked with police departments all over the state. Anytime they have questions they reach out and we always answer. We are not white nationalist in any shape or form and don’t not condone such behavior and speech,” the page stated. “I urge people to reach out to us and talk to us. Screen shots and tweet and such can be faked very easily so do some research before believing everything you hear.”
The incident on Wednesday involved only students and no outside groups, university officials told KSAT. The arrests took place near the Quad.
Police didn’t say what charges the four students who were arrested would face.
On Reddit, a person who claimed to be present wrote: “A guy wearing a MAGA hat was walking out of Derrick Hall from the exit closer to the stallions. I’m unsure if he argued or spoke with the CPs [counter-protesters] first, but a woman involved with the CPs grabbed his MAGA hat off his head, to which the MAGA guy retaliated and possibly pushed her, then a UPD officer stopped and talked to her.”
The user added, “Another person, possibly 2 people involved with the CPs joined in quickly to defend the hat-taker, to which UPD officers then reached in and separated all of them, albeit with a lot of force. The CPs involved were handcuffed and taken through Evans and then to Nueces.”
