UT police charge San Marcos man with illegally having gun at pro-Palestinian protest

University of Texas police have charged a San Marcos man with illegally carrying a loaded semi-automatic pistol at a pro-Palestinian protest on campus April 29, according to an arrest affidavit.

Michael David Maule was not in custody Wednesday afternoon on the third-degree felony charge of "places weapons prohibited." He is accused of not having a license to have the firearm on the premises of a post-secondary education institution, according to the affidavit.

An attorney representing Maule could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday. His bail was set at $7,500.

The affidavit said that at 6 p.m. April 29, an Austin police sergeant notified three officers at the protest about two demonstrators armed with guns. The document does not say how or why the sergeant believed the protesters were armed.

The sergeant described one of the two men as wearing a black and white scarf, black jacket and pants and a face covering.

More:Seventy-nine pro-Palestine protesters arrested during encampment UT-Austin

The Austin police officers said they found that man and identified him as Maule. They searched him and found the gun in his waistband in the small of his back, the affidavit said. Police said he had two magazines in his left pocket and a pocketknife.

The affidavit said police seized the gun and ammunition and arrested Maule on a criminal trespassing charge.

"A later check of Maule's driver's license record indicated he did not have a license to carry," the affidavit said.

UT officials have previously said they were investigating the case and planned to file charges.

Under a state law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015, concealed carry of firearms is allowed in most areas of UT's campus provided that the person is licensed to carry a gun. Carrying a partially visible or fully visible weapon is prohibited in most campus spaces.

Two UT protests, one on April 24 and the other April 29, resulted in more than 130 arrests.

More:Pro-Palestinian protests have happened at UT before. How are the new ones different?

All charges against 57 protesters arrested April 24 were declined because prosecutors said they lacked probable cause.

But most of the charges from April 29 are pending and include trespass, while one person also was charged with obstructing a passageway. Another person also was charged with interfering with public duties.

The charge against Maule is the only pending felony charge related to the protests.