On October 24, 2024, Brown University suspended the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (BSJP), imposing a broad ban on the group’s activities on campus.
On October 18, 2024, BSJP organized a protest against the Corporation of Brown University, Brown’s governing board, which had voted on October 8 not to divest from ten companies that do business in Israel. During the protest, students marched outside of Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School, where members of the corporation were meeting. The protesters held signs, such as “Free Palestine” and “F$&@! YOU CPAX”, banged on buckets, shouted “shame!” at corporation members, and blocked a bus carrying corporation members.
On October 20, Brown’s Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell Carey emailed the university community about the protest. In the email, he called the demonstrator’s behavior “entirely unacceptable” and warned that both BSJP and individual BSJP members may face disciplinary consequences.
On October 24, Brown’s Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students Koren Bakkegard wrote to BSJP leaders to notify them that the group was temporarily suspended pending an external investigation into the group’s conduct at the October 18th protest. The letter included one sentence describing the allegations against the group, including banging on and blocking the movement of a vehicle, yelling profanity at individuals, and using a racial epithet against one person. While the investigation continued, the letter noted that BSJP would be barred from holding meetings, social events, or educational activities; from making physical or social media postings; from attending other group’s activities or events; or from using the SJP name. The group remained temporarily suspended at the end of January 2025.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the attempt to limit the right to freedom of expression and freedom of association on campus by temporarily suspending the status of a student group and imposing a broad ban on its activities prior to completing an investigative process. University authorities have a responsibility not to interfere with student expression, so long as it is undertaken peacefully and responsibly, and an obligation to ensure due process, transparency, and fairness when engaging in disciplinary action. University actions limiting the rights to free expression or association on campus have a chilling effect on academic freedom and university autonomy, and undermine democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2024/10/29/brown-u-suspends-students-justice-palestine-chapter
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/brown-university-suspends-chapter-students-justice-palestine-rcna177653
https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2024/10/brown-university-suspends-students-for-justice-in-palestine-pending-investigation
https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2024/10/pro-divestment-activists-under-investigation-for-conduct-violations-after-corporation-protest
https://www.riaclu.org/en/news/aclu-slams-brown-universitys-ongoing-suspension-pro-palestinian-student-group-calls-immediate