Yesterday, Palestine Legal and the NLG-Chicago sent a letter to Loyola University Chicago (LUC) demanding that LUC protect student speech and dissent by fully repealing draconian demonstration policies that the university has temporarily suspended, including a requirement that students register all demonstrations with the administration three days in advance.
In the letter, NLG and Palestine Legal raised concerns that LUC’s demonstration policy had been enforced selectively and in a discriminatory way against SJP. The letter called on LUC to extend an official apology to SJP.
The letter also demanded stronger due process protections for students facing disciplinary measures.
The NLG – Palestine Legal letter was sent after disciplinary charges were brought against three black students who had organized a racial justice demonstration in November in violation of the school’s demonstration policy. The students were also members of SJP, and Palestine Legal attended the students’ disciplinary hearing as their adviser. In December, after intense pressure, LUC dropped all charges and announced a temporary moratorium on the demonstration policy.
