Since Arrests at Columbia, Campus Protests of Israel’s War in Gaza Spread Nationwide

Protests had been bubbling for months but kicked into a higher gear after more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia’s campus were arrested last week.

Colleges Seek to Balance Safety and Students’ Right to Protest Gaza War

Since the war began, colleges and universities have struggled to balance campus safety with free speech rights amid intense student debate and protests.

Police Arrest Dozens of Pro-Palestinian Protesters at Columbia University

Several students involved in the protest said they also were suspended from Columbia and Barnard College, including Isra Hirsi, daughter of Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From Black Lives Matter Activist Over Protest Lawsuit

At an earlier stage of the case, the high court noted that the issue was “fraught with implications for First Amendment rights.”

Some Fear University of Michigan Proposed Policy on Protests Could Quell Free Speech

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan said it is concerned the proposed policy, as drafted, will impair civil liberties on campus.

Kentucky GOP Moves to Criminalize Disruptive Protests Inside State Capitol

Under the bill, conduct intended to disrupt or prevent lawmakers from doing business would be a misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for repeat offenses.

SF Protesters Who Blocked Bridge to Demand Cease-Fire Will Avoid Criminal Proceedings

Eighty people were arrested, and 29 vehicles were towed. Protesters demanded that Biden call for an immediate cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

Biden Tries to Balance Protests, Free Speech Rights as Demonstrators Disrupt Events

The protests lay bare the tensions Biden is facing between the fallout from his handling of the Israel-Hamas war and the First Amendment rights of his critics to speak out.