In 2024, students on university and college campuses across California established encampments in solidarity with Palestine and called for an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. In response, administrators deployed aggressive law enforcement tactics to silence these protests. Since then, college students have continued to see their First Amendment rights deteriorate as government and university officials increase restrictions to crack down on protected speech.
This new report examines the history of student movements in the U.S. and how they paved the way for recent pro-Palestine protests. It also analyzes the reasons students began demonstrating in support of Palestine and the reactions from government officials, law enforcement, and university administrators, and provides recommendations for stakeholders.
Key Findings
- Student movements have existed on college campuses for decades.
- Colleges are passing new policies to restrict speech and assembly on campus.
- The media employs the ‘protest paradigm’ when covering pro-Palestine student protests.
- Colleges use selective enforcement of free speech policies to censor pro-Palestine activism on campus.
- Policymakers and college administrators must rise to the moment.
Recommendations
This report offers the following recommendations for policymakers and university and college administrators:
- Roll back and draw boundaries around time, place, and manner (TPM) restrictions;
- Challenge biased enforcement of TPM policies;
- Separate critique of Israel from legally protected definitions of
antisemitic discrimination; - Foster cross-community learning and build bridges across student
groups; and - Engage with students in good faith.
