California universities turned to $25 million emergency fund to break pro-Palestine student protests, a move civil liberties advocates say undermines free speech.
University officials tapped into the "law enforcement mutual aid system", designed for natural disasters and emergencies, to bring in outside law enforcement agencies to quell student-led demonstrations on campus.
Students were met with violent crackdowns and arrests, as well as militarized police forces deploying against them, said Palestine Legal attorney Sabiya Ahamed. “These police officers who are trained in violent tactics, you bring them to campus and they're deploying those tactics against students. That is really dangerous,” she said.
The use of LEMA funds, intended for emergency response, created an uneven playing field, with university leaders prioritizing security over free speech, said Ahamed. “If campus closure is required through the weekend, revenue loss will grow considerably," University President Tom Jackson wrote in his email requesting funding.
Pro-Palestine encampments presented a publicity crisis for universities, forcing them to choose between allowing peaceful protests or quashing them with police force. Universities responded with authoritarian tactics, almost exclusively choosing the latter.
University officials described the incidents as "domestic violent extremism and criminal behavior", emphasizing that the state had provided them with the LEMA funds. However, critics argue that this description ignores the underlying reasons for the protests: concerns about Israel's actions in Palestine.
The recent events highlight a broader trend of universities relying on outside law enforcement agencies to suppress student activism, said Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at Council on American-Islamic Relations. This generation of college students is extraordinarily brave and principled, willing to sacrifice education and career for their values.
University officials tapped into the "law enforcement mutual aid system", designed for natural disasters and emergencies, to bring in outside law enforcement agencies to quell student-led demonstrations on campus.
Students were met with violent crackdowns and arrests, as well as militarized police forces deploying against them, said Palestine Legal attorney Sabiya Ahamed. “These police officers who are trained in violent tactics, you bring them to campus and they're deploying those tactics against students. That is really dangerous,” she said.
The use of LEMA funds, intended for emergency response, created an uneven playing field, with university leaders prioritizing security over free speech, said Ahamed. “If campus closure is required through the weekend, revenue loss will grow considerably," University President Tom Jackson wrote in his email requesting funding.
Pro-Palestine encampments presented a publicity crisis for universities, forcing them to choose between allowing peaceful protests or quashing them with police force. Universities responded with authoritarian tactics, almost exclusively choosing the latter.
University officials described the incidents as "domestic violent extremism and criminal behavior", emphasizing that the state had provided them with the LEMA funds. However, critics argue that this description ignores the underlying reasons for the protests: concerns about Israel's actions in Palestine.
The recent events highlight a broader trend of universities relying on outside law enforcement agencies to suppress student activism, said Corey Saylor, research and advocacy director at Council on American-Islamic Relations. This generation of college students is extraordinarily brave and principled, willing to sacrifice education and career for their values.
. I mean, isn't free speech a big deal? 
It seems like they were more worried about keeping the peace than letting students express themselves. What's next? Are we gonna start using riot gear on schoolyards? 
, like whats goin on in cali?? theyre usin $25 million from a emergency fund meant for disasters to crack down on pro-palestine students? that just feels so wrong... i mean, isnt free speech supposed to be protected or somethin? 
Interesting how some universities are using this as an excuse to crack down on free speech and instead prioritize security over their own students' rights...
they're basically using emergency funds meant for disaster relief as a way to silence students who are just trying to make their voices heard. It's like they're prioritizing security over free speech, which is a big deal. I get that universities have to manage protests, but this feels like a pretty heavy-handed response. The use of outside law enforcement agencies and the language used to describe the protesters (domestic violent extremism, etc.) just seems really tone-deaf to me... 
its like they're more worried about reputation than people's lives 
. students are gettin so brave & passionate about these issues, it's inspiring 
but at the same time, i'm worried for their safety 
. when are we gonna start valuin student voices & empowerment? 
. Can we not find a way to balance free speech with campus safety without resorting to this kind of heavy-handedness? 
. It's like they're implying that students who care about Palestine are somehow violent or extremist? That's not how it works at all.
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like this. But at the same time, can't really blame 'em for wantin' to keep the peace on campus 
. Like, if students are gettin' all aggressive and stuff, it's reasonable to expect some security presence, you know? 
. Universities should be protectin' free speech and student rights, not just goin' along with what the state says 
. And can we talk about how unfair it is to label student protests as "domestic violent extremism" when they're actually just people expressin' their opinions? 
. Colleges should be fosterin' discussion and debate, not suppressin' it with militarized police 
. And Corey Saylor makes some valid points about the trend of universities turnin' to outside law enforcement - it's just so... authoritarian 
. Like, what even is the point of having free speech if you're not going to let students express their opinions? 
. The fact that universities used a $25 million emergency fund to do this is just wild 
. It's not fair to them, and it sets a bad precedent for future generations of activists 
.
. Bringing in outside law enforcement from a mutual aid system designed for disasters? That's not exactly what I'd call 'emergency funding' 