The University of Florida is setting strict boundaries for students who participate in pro-terrorism protests as the rise of anti-semitism hits college campuses.
Officials at U of Florida issued a stern warning on Friday to pro-Hamas demonstrators, warning such behavior will not be tolerated or risk facing damaging consequences.
According to a memo obtained by Fox Business, the university spelled out what is acceptable and what is not while still allowing students to express their freedom of speech.
The guidelines permit peaceful protests, including verbal expressions of viewpoints and signs. However, tents, sleeping bags, amplified sound, protests inside campus buildings, threats, and violent behavior will immediately result in expulsion for the student.
The university’s warning comes amid aggravated protests who have engaged in threatening behavior toward the Jewish community at schools such as Columbia, Yale, and Harvard.
Several schools have moved to online instruction for the remainder of the semester after Jewish students and faculty members expressed feeling scared to be on campus as pro-terrorism protestors engage in harassing behavior.
“This is Adulting 101: Actions have consequences,” James Wegmann, Vice President of Communications at the University of Florida said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R-FL) stance on the issue aligned with the University of Florida, warning students would face expulsion if they engage in such violent protests.
“At places like Columbia and Yale, Hamas protesters rule the roost, and the universities are too weak and scared to do anything — even as these mobs harass Jewish students and faculty,” DeSantis wrote on X. “If you try that at a Florida university, you are going to be expelled.”
Advocates for the pro-Hamas protests argue that the demonstrations are a form of free speech.
However, DeSantis pointed out that the First Amendment does not include bullying, harassing, or inciting fear in people.
Students have attempted to call some of the university’s bluff after they alerted participants will be expelled, taking the warning lightly.
“We think expulsion is highly unlikely; only students who have been expelled in the movement at Vanderbilt were expelled for touching (‘assaulted’) a police officer. Expulsion is highly unlikely; at Princeton, it requires a committee and we know that at least 2 faculty members who are part of the committee are in the Faculty for Justice in Palestine,” a document from those planning to protest at Princeton University read.
However, Florida Universities are not one to be messed with.
“You do that in Florida at our universities, we are showing you the door,” DeSantis cautioned.
Hundreds of students have already been arrested or suspended for participating in the pro-Hamas encampments that have popped up at numerous universities nationwide.
Following in Florida’s footsteps, the University of Georgia is also refusing to let entitled students violate their policies and incite terrorism on the campus.
Watch this Georgia State Trooper do just that:
Georgia State Trooper ran out of patience pic.twitter.com/hhODi5crBf
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 27, 2024