ACLU Supporter, as campus protests are still under threat at colleges and universities, we’re on the ground across the country, prepared to act swiftly wherever our rights are violated.
At the top of the week, here are three major fights that we’re taking on:
- The ACLU of Indiana has sued Indiana University on behalf of protesters who were banned from campus after protesting in Dunn Meadow. Since 1969, this green space on campus has been a public forum where people go to express themselves. But the night before a protest in support of the Palestinian people, IU officials changed their policies, and then had police arrest protesters the next day for trespassing. The school then banned them from setting foot on campus for a year – effectively keeping them from joining both ongoing and future protests.
This is a clear violation of protesters’ First Amendment rights. Public universities like IU must protect free speech on campus. Read more about the ACLU of Indiana’s legal response. - Some in Congress are trying to take advantage of tensions over campus protests to push a dangerous bill stifling speech. The House already passed a bill that gives the government virtually unfettered power to revoke the nonprofit status of any organization it accuses of supporting terrorists. It would allow the government to use secret evidence and an unfair process that makes it nearly impossible for a nonprofit to clear its name before it is effectively shut down. It could even be used to pressure publicly funded universities to silence student activism. These are the kinds of tactics authoritarian regimes use to target political opponents and stifle dissent. No presidential administration should have power like this.
We just testified in Congress about the importance of protecting free speech in times of crisis – but we need you with us. Tell your Senators to vote no on this dangerous bill >> - The ACLU is fighting on every front – urging universities to protect students and faculty speaking out on issues that matter to them. Our podcast, At Liberty, spoke with lawyers at ACLU affiliates across the country to talk about ongoing legal action, the dangers of inviting police to respond to campus protests, and what to know about our protest rights at private and public colleges.
Tune in to get the full story on the free speech issues on campuses.
Onward,
The ACLU Team
American Civil Liberties Union
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004, USA