Free speech and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict after Oct. 7

Student journalists do vital work to keep their communities informed. Here's what they should know about covering campus protests.

Does the First Amendment allow public universities to ban students from erecting tents and camping on school property? While campus encampments are expressive conduct, that’s not the end of the story.

The tendency to make exceptions for what’s allowed to be said is all too human, but creating a “genocide” exception to free speech only opens the door to more speech restrictions and selective enforcement.

The First Amendment protects a vast range of speech and expressive conduct. But it doesn’t protect all speech and expressive conduct.

It’s not enough to say that free speech is important. Now is the time for colleges and universities to put words into action.

Universities seeking to discipline students must live up to their promises and obligations to provide fair proceedings. If they don’t, they can expect to hear from FIRE.

Free speech and a safe campus environment need not conflict. Colleges can safeguard both without compromising either. Here's how.

FIRE has long defended the free speech rights of speakers on all sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Penn’s new “events and demonstrations” policy appears to be a response to pro-Palestinian protests and encampments that resulted in arrests earlier this year.

With Israeli-Palestinian campus protests spreading nationwide, the ability to distinguish between peaceful protest, civil disobedience, and genuine misconduct is as important now as ever.

More than 50 arrested after state police storm protestors at University of Texas at Austin in disturbing display of force and free speech violations.

A political protest at Berkeley Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky’s student dinner party has elicited debate — and questions — over the First Amendment’s limits.

UMD’s dictate that ‘only university-sponsored events’ would take place on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel ran headlong into the First Amendment.

Keely Gliwa was set to graduate with a masters in biochemistry and molecular biology before she was arrested for failing to disperse when police shut down a pro-Palestinian protest.

The university’s move, citing vague ‘safety concerns’ appears designed to placate critics of the student’s Israel criticism.

Brooklyn College student expressed support for Palestinians by posting two signs on the door to her assigned studio space in the fine arts program.

In the wake of Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel, administrators became the main instigators of attempted speech suppression on campus.

Lafayette denied recognition to Students for Justice in Palestine chapter over concerns about its proposed protected speech

Concerns remain after the Florida System chancellor said SJP chapters would still need to affirm their commitment to nonviolence, the details of which remain unclear.

In a brazen act of viewpoint discrimination, Brandeis becomes the first private university in the nation to ban an SJP campus chapter.

Students, faculty, and invited speakers faced retaliation nearly every single day after October 7 for expressing their political beliefs, according to a FIRE investigation.

Ahead of what could be another tumultuous year for free expression on college campuses, survey data shows few undergrads have a solid understanding of their campus protest policies.

Survey reveals that most Americans believe college students should never occupy buildings or deface school property during a protest.

FIRE survey data shows strong correlation between poor speech climate and arrests on campus of pro-Palestinian encampment protesters.

FIRE joined Rep. Murphy’s annual Campus Free Speech Roundtable to discuss the free speech opportunities and challenges facing colleges.

You can’t protect Americans by chipping away at their ability to speak out — and that’s exactly what this act does.

The Committee sent a letter to a nonprofit alleging ties to “foreign terrorist organizations” via association with Students for Justice in Palestine.

An amendment before the U.S. House impermissibly threatens the expressive rights of students and faculty across the country.

Free speech on college campuses is a proud American tradition, and President Trump's message this morning threatening punishment for protected speech is deeply chilling.

FIRE President Greg Lukianoff argued that academic boycotts of a nation’s institutions or scholars cannot be reconciled with academic freedom.

State-mandated campus censorship violates the First Amendment and will not effectively answer anti-Semitism.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul sent a letter warning state college presidents of “aggressive enforcement action” against any institution failing to prohibit and punish speech calling for genocide.