Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican, has cautioned college students in his state that they might face expulsion if they participate in unauthorized protests on campuses.
The governor stated on the social platform X that at Columbia and Yale, protesters supporting Hamas are dominant, and the universities are too feeble and frightened to take action. He added that if you attempt this at a Florida university, you will be expelled.
Activists supporting Palestine have established camps at various universities nationwide, even in areas not authorized by the school.
DeSantis mentioned that targeting Jewish students and faculty, and preventing a Jewish professor from entering a building is not considered free speech, but rather harassment and a violation of proper conduct. He pointed out that at Columbia, Yale, and other places, such behavior rules.
He also stated that if such actions occur at Florida universities, the individuals involved will be asked to leave.
At the start of the demonstration at Columbia, there was bipartisan condemnation as lawmakers and the White House labeled the actions at the Manhattan campus as antisemitic.
Since then, a number of other schools have seen the emergence of encampments, and hundreds of students have been arrested across the country.
Despite schools promising suspension or expulsion for those involved in these protests, it is not clear how many students have faced specific punishments.
Some students have tried to challenge their schools’ administrations, doubting that such extreme measures would be taken.
A document from those planning to protest at Princeton University suggests that expulsion is improbable, with only students who assaulted a police officer being expelled at Vanderbilt. Additionally, the process at Princeton requires a committee, and it is known that at least 2 faculty members on the committee support the Faculty for Justice in Palestine.
