Identity of Speakers
-
Justin Booker
Student
OtherLaw student at Campbell University School of Law (Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law)
Resources
Additional Information
-
Incident Nature:
Pamphleteering
-
Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
University investigation not issuing in sanctions
University administration invoked formal speech code in response
Title IX or other federal statute
Other
-
Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
On September 11, 2025, Campbell University School of Law student Justin Booker posted flyers in several common areas of the law school featuring an image of Charlie Kirk, his wife Erika Kirk, and their children, overlaid with the message “END POLITICAL VIOLENCE.” Charlie Kirk was a prominent conservative political commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, and his recent death had prompted widespread national discussion about political violence and heightened sensitivity around related expression on campuses and in public institutions. Assistant Dean Regina Chavis removed the flyers, stating they violated university policy limiting postings to a single designated bulletin board. It was also reported that other political materials remained posted in similar areas at the time.
In the period following the removal, Booker was instructed not to repost the flyers and received an internal disciplinary warning related to the posting. He sought review within the law school, but the decision to remove the flyers was upheld through internal channels. The matter then drew outside attention when the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) raised concerns that Campbell’s posting policy allowed broad administrative discretion and that enforcement appeared uneven given the continued presence of other political flyers in similar locations.
In early March 2026, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) formally contacted Campbell University, arguing that the flyering policy lacked clear, viewpoint-neutral standards and permitted selective enforcement. The organization requested revisions to ensure consistent application of posting rules and greater protection for expressive activity. The dispute was discussed in the context of broader national debates over campus responses to student expression related to political violence and commentary following Kirk’s death.
Later in March 2026, Campbell University responded that Booker would not face disciplinary action related to the flyers. The university also indicated it would clarify its posting policy going forward. The matter concluded with Booker being permitted to post flyers in areas where other student materials were allowed, while the university maintained that its actions were based on location-based posting rules rather than the content of the expression.
