The Intercept Briefing

The “Palestine Exception”

Nov 27, 2024

Akela Lacy and Jonah Valdez, Intercept reporters focused on campus activism and free speech, delve into the recent surge of student protests for Palestine. They discuss the heavy-handed measures universities have taken against students, including felony charges for nonviolent actions. The conversation highlights concerns over increasing censorship and the chilling effect on dissent as political tensions rise, especially anticipating a return of Donald Trump. This vital dialogue emphasizes the broader implications for civil rights and activism on college campuses.

26:40

Creator website

Episode guests

Jonah Valdez

Akela Lacy

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Universities are increasingly suppressing free speech and protests related to the Gaza conflict, imposing severe consequences on dissenting students.

Despite a restrictive environment, students are resiliently continuing their protests and exploring legal avenues to defend their First Amendment rights.

Deep dives

Crackdowns on Free Speech on Campuses

Many colleges and universities have intensified crackdowns on free speech and protests, particularly those related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This has led to mass arrests of students and faculty participating in anti-war protests, with instances of police using riot gear and forceful measures. Unlike past movements that fostered free speech rights, the current atmosphere appears to be trending towards more restrictive policies, resembling authoritarian responses, with administrators actively seeking to silence dissenting voices. Efforts are being made by political entities to further investigate and target schools with pro-Palestinian leanings, posing threats to their funding and autonomy.

Intro

2min

Campus Activism and Free Speech

9min

Censorship and Repression in Medical Activism

5min

Navigating Challenges in Pro-Palestinian Advocacy

11min

Conclusion and Engagement: Reflecting on the Palestine Situation

3min

Continued campus protests against the Gaza war have sparked heated debates around free speech, academic freedom, and the role of universities in addressing global issues.

This spring saw an outpouring of students demanding that their institutions divest from Israel. Since then, universities have taken sometimes draconian measures to stop protests before they even begin.

On this week’s episode of The Intercept Briefing, Intercept reporters Akela Lacy and Jonah Valdez, who have been following the protest movements for months, discuss the latest developments and how college administrators are responding.

Lacy followed one such case at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, where students were hit with severe charges for vandalism. “The school is trying to make an example of student leaders in the movement for Palestine to chill further speech,” Lacy says. “I want to emphasize the fact that these are felony charges for undergraduate students for a nonviolent offense that is putting paint on a building.”

Students and organizers who spoke with Valdez anticipate even greater hostility for protesters of every kind once Donald Trump takes office again in January. “This is what a lot of organizers were telling me leading up to Election Day was that there’s going to be so many other attacks on the rights of many other people," he says, "whether it’s reproductive rights, rights of trans people, LGBTQ community at large, rights of immigrants, all on top of the ongoing genocide and occupation of Palestine.”

To hear more about the chilling effects on free speech and protest, listen to this week’s episode of The Intercept Briefing.

The Intercept: "Class Struggle"

The Intercept: "No Room for Emergency"

The Intercept: "100 Days in Appalachia"

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.