When an anti-ICE poster was discovered on a light pole outside Penn State’s student center on January 29, photos of the poster instantly started circulating on social media. The poster ignited reactions from every side of the ideological spectrum — from comments championing the power of provocative political speech to others condemning a message they found deeply offensive.
When some people raised the call to identify and punish whoever created the poster, Penn State responded by condemning it and announcing that University Police and Public Safety were investigating.
That investigation raises serious constitutional problems.
Whatever your thoughts are on the flyer’s design or message, the First Amendment protects political speech at a public university like Penn State. And that’s exactly what the poster contained: a message criticizing ICE, a federal immigration law enforcement agency, along with rhetoric and imagery some found offensive.
Investigating protected expression — especially political speech — chills speech across campus and violates Penn State’s constitutional obligations. America’s most pressing issues should be up for debate, not investigated into silence.
Join us in telling Penn State to drop their sham investigation into the poster and confirm it will uphold its commitment to protecting free expression even when it’s hard, controversial, or unpopular to do so.
P.S. After you send a letter to Penn State, check out another poster controversy happening at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign right now. At UIUC, the poster is pro-ICE, demonstrating that these sorts of administrative actions silence everyone! Free speech makes free people, no matter what side you’re on.
