U of Florida Shows How to Deal With Encampment Protests—Featuring Consequences

We've seen a lot of craziness with the unhinged protests about Gaza from leftists at campuses across the country, including at NYU, Columbia, and other institutions.

This Occupy 2.0 effort has seen antisemitic harassment, violence, and even protesters attacking and chasing the police. Hezbollah flags were seen being waved, including at the Princeton University.encampment on Thursday. The University of Southern California (USC) even called off its formal commencement because they were concerned about safety.

Radical Democrats like Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have spoken out in support of these encampments, with Ocasio-Cortez claiming they are "peaceful," and Omar saying that "history" will be on the side of the protesters.

Part of the problem here has been the failure of university administrations to properly deal with these radical protests.

But at least one university seems to be getting it right: the University of Florida.

Yes, students seemed to be trying to get things going there.

SHOCKING: University of Florida students and community members have occupied Plaza of the Americas since noon yesterday demanding support for Palestine and harassing Jewish students. @UF this is unacceptable behavior from our students and faculty. pic.twitter.com/xVoW40uDrJ
— UF YAF (@UFloridaYAF) April 25, 2024

But then they were hit with the rules.

Wonderful to see the University of Florida doing everything it can to keep its community safe from terror supporters on their campus:

- students suspensions of 3 years
- immediate employee terminations

Thank you @UF @BenSasse - we can only hope others follow suit! https://t.co/t9GOan2sjN pic.twitter.com/ppufHrLQzc
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) April 26, 2024

While the rules allowed "speech, expressing viewpoints and holding signs in hands," it forbade any encampment, not to mention a bunch of other things-- including no amplified sounds, protests inside buildings, littering, camping, sleeping, unmanned signs, blocking egress, building structures including tents, tables, benches, threats, violence, weapons.

The kicker was the "Consequences for Non-Compliance." If you engage in prohibited activities, you will be considered to have "trespassed." It reads: "Students will receive a 3 year tresspass and suspension. Employees will be trespassed and separated from employment."

According to the Gainesville Sun:

"Peaceful protests are constitutionally protected. Camping, putting up structures, disrupting academic activity, or threatening others on university property is strictly prohibited," the university said. "The University has clearly communicated this to our students and explained that they can exercise their free speech rights but breaking the law will result in an immediate trespassing order from UFPD and an interim suspension from Student Life."

So that sounds like the school intends to employ real consequences for bad actions. As a result, the reports from Florida are that so far the students are cooperating with police.

Former Republican senator Ben Sasse is the president of the University, and that may have something to do with this response.

Most wouldn't risk getting banished from the school or lose their jobs, so if you hold fast, you'll lose the shallow sheep in this effort when they can't just throw their tantrums. It was the crimes and the consequences, plus the failure to get what they wanted that ultimately did in Occupy--and that's what needs to happen here.