Universities across the United States are implementing stricter regulations to manage protests as students return from summer break. This move aims to prevent a repeat of the chaotic demonstrations against Israel’s actions in Gaza that led to police crackdowns on campuses last semester.
Columbia University, a focal point of the previous protests, is expected to see the most significant changes. The university president, Minouche Shafik, resigned this week amid criticism over her handling of the protests. Before her resignation, Shafik oversaw the installation of fencing around the university's quad, a central area of campus life and a frequent site of large protest encampments. The university also introduced a “color-coded campus status” system with varying levels of access restrictions and is considering employing "peace officers" with arrest powers.
Jonathan Ben-Menachem, a sociology PhD student who participated in last year's protests, criticized these measures, comparing the color-coded system to post-9/11 threat level advisories. "They’re sacrificing all their public space to crack down on students," he said.
Columbia is not alone in its preparations. Universities nationwide have introduced policies to limit protests, drawing warnings from students, faculty, and advocates who argue that they endanger free speech. The American Association of University Professors condemned these measures, noting they "impose severe limits on speech and assembly."
The recent wave of protests began after Hamas attacks on October 7, prompting students and faculty to demand that their administrations divest from Israel. Police interventions led to more than 3,100 arrests. Administrators have faced pressure from donors, lawsuits alleging antisemitism, and congressional hearings. Three university presidents, including Shafik, have resigned amidst these tensions.
In response, many universities have amended their policies. For example, the University of Pennsylvania banned camping and speech that "advocates violence," while the University of Illinois imposed restrictions on various protest-related activities. The University of California system is expected to announce a new system-wide policy likely including a ban on encampments.
Despite the new restrictions, students plan to continue their activism. "It’s going to be more of a police state than it was, but I don’t think that means no one’s going to do anything," Ben-Menachem said. "The war is still there ... nothing has changed in Palestine."
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