Identity of Speakers
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Prehlad Iyengar
Student
OtherSuspended Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Student publication
Rally or protest
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Student sanctioned
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
In December 2024, MIT graduate student Prahlad Iyengar was suspended and banned from campus after authoring a pro-Palestinian essay titled “On Pacifism” in the student-run zine Written Revolution. The essay critiqued pacifist approaches in social movements and included artwork referencing the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. MIT officials cited concerns that the content could be interpreted as a call for violent protest, and in response, prohibited the zine’s distribution on campus.
The suspension, which jeopardized Iyengar’s National Science Foundation fellowship, followed a series of disciplinary investigations. MIT’s Committee on Discipline grouped his essay with prior protests, including participation in a pro-Palestinian encampment and a demonstration at a Lockheed Martin recruiting event. On November 30, the committee ruled to suspend him until January 2026 and prohibit his physical access to campus.
The university’s actions drew strong backlash. MIT students and faculty organized rallies and circulated petitions demanding that Iyengar’s access be reinstated. On December 11, Cambridge City Council passed a resolution calling on MIT to reconsider the disciplinary measures, citing academic freedom and due process concerns. The MIT chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) also issued an open letter condemning the suspension and questioning the evidence and procedures used in the case.
Iyengar has appealed the disciplinary ruling to the Chancellor, seeking reinstatement. The appeal process remains pending.
