Austin, Texas - Dozens of criminal trespassing charges issued in the wake of Gaza solidarity protests at the University of Texas at Austin have now been dropped!

"We reviewed the evidence of the law and considered many factors, including the legitimate concerns of whether there were violations of constitutional rights of free speech," Travis County Attorney Delia Garza announced during a Wednesday press conference.

"After examining and weighing all the evidence presented, we have determined that we cannot meet our legal burden to prove these 79 criminal trespass cases beyond reasonable doubt, and they will be dismissed."

The charges stemmed from an April 29 Gaza solidarity protest calling on the university to divest from weapons manufacturers and other companies profiting off Israel's attacks on Gaza. University administrators, with the backing of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, authorized law enforcement to wage a militarized crackdown, resulting in dozens of arrests.

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Since that time, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 37,000 people, as the US continues to provide Israel with military and diplomatic support.

"The decisions that were made in response to these protests [...] show the severe lack of leadership we expect from our elected leaders as they continue to prioritize extreme government overreach over actual public safety," Garza said.

Criminal trespass is a Class B misdemeanor. Garza said her office is still looking into cases with more serious charges. Her office had already dismissed all 57 criminal trespassing charges from an April 24 protest.

"We respect the law and are deeply disappointed by the County Attorney's actions," the university said in a statement following Wednesday's announcement. "The University will continue to use the law enforcement and administrative tools at our disposal to maintain safety and operational continuity for our 53,000 students who come to campus to learn, regardless of whether the criminal justice system shares this commitment."

Students for Justice in Palestine is calling on the university to drop all disciplinary hearings and measures against the protesters, some of whom have seen their degrees withheld for taking a stand for Gaza.