Identity of Speakers
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Florida State University’s Students for a Democratic Society
Student
OtherFSU affiliate of national student-led activist organization founded in 2006 to rebuild the student movement through direct action campaigns on college, university, and high school campuses across the United States.
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Rally or protest
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
University investigation issuing in sanctions
Student sanctioned
Rally or Protests
University administration invoked formal speech code in response
Campus police
Other Law Enforcement
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
In response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Florida State University’s Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized protests calling for Palestinian rights and university divestment from companies linked to Israel. In late 2023, about 20 SDS members protested outside an FSU Board of Trustees meeting, which led to allegations of code of conduct violations and heightened tensions with university officials. In April 2024, SDS members set up tents on Landis Green to support pro-Palestine protesters arrested at other universities. University officials ordered the tents removed and activated sprinklers during the demonstration, actions SDS viewed as attempts to suppress their activism.
In June 2024, the FSU Board of Trustees approved a revised “Freedom of Expression Rights and Responsibilities” policy that bans camping, erecting structures, using amplified sound without prior approval, and concealing identity during protests. SDS criticized these restrictions as politically motivated efforts to target pro-Palestine expression. Additionally, state officials directed universities to take all necessary measures to prevent protests during commencement ceremonies, resulting in arrests and the initial barring of two students from graduation due to their protest participation.
