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Arizona lawmakers have outlawed encampments on public university campuses as protests continue to erupt at schools across the United States.
Democratic Arizona Gov. Kate Hobbs last week signed House Bill 2880, which bars people "from establishing or occupying an encampment on a university or community college campus."
The law also requires school administrators to direct people who set up encampments to "immediately dismantle" them or vacate the campus. Those who set up encampments may be held liable for damages to campuses, and those who do not leave are subject to trespassing charges.
Law enforcement agencies "must enforce the prohibition on establishing or occupying an encampment," the law states, and they have "the authority to remove an encampment and any individual or group from campus that has violated the prohibition and refused to comply with the direction to leave."
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather on the lawn in front of Arizona State University's historic Old Main building in Tempe, Arizona, on April 26, 2024. (© Diannie Chavez / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Democratic Arizona State Rep. Alma Hernandez introduced the bill, saying in a statement when it passed the Education Committee in February that the legislation "is not about silencing anyone’s right to protest."
"You still have the right to protest peacefully, but encampments do not have a legal right to be on campus," Hernandez said at the time.
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Hernandez added that the idea behind the legislation stemmed from the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel when Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, killed 1,200 people and kidnapped hundreds of hostages from a music festival.
Law enforcement tear down an encampment that protesters had built on the University of Arizona campus and clash with protesters on Tucson Street on May 1, 2024. (© Sarah Lapidus/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Hamas is a designated terrorist organization that the Department of National Intelligence describes as "the largest and most capable militant group in the Palestinian territories and one of the territories’ two major political parties."
The offensive sparked the ongoing war between Israel and the terror group. Meanwhile, students at colleges and universities across the country have participated in large-scale, anti-Israel protests that have, at times, resulted in physical clashes between students and police.
Law enforcement arrests a protester before disbanding the encampment at Northern Arizona University on April 30, 2024. (© Lacey Latch/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)
"After October 7th, our universities faced significant challenges as they tried negotiating with individuals who made unrealistic demands and refused to remove their encampments," Hernandez said. "I witnessed the impact of this firsthand. As a student and a faculty member, I firmly believe in the importance of civil conversations and peaceful protests—these fundamental rights protected by the First Amendment. However, encampments have no legal standing on our campuses."
"We must prioritize accountability and ensure that our public institutions remain focused on providing a safe and secure environment," she continued. "These institutions' primary obligation is to support teaching and learning for ALL students. Jewish students should not have to hide or take alternate routes just to get to class."
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather on the lawn in front of Arizona State University's historic Old Main building in Tempe, Arizona, on April 26, 2024. (© Diannie Chavez / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Various Democratic lawmakers and activist organizations opposed Hernandez's bill, including CAIR-AZ and ACLU Arizona, which described the bill as an effort to "curb free speech at a time when we must firmly protect people’s right to dissent."
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President Donald Trump has threatened to pull federal funding from schools over antisemitism concerns and deport students who participate in demonstrations expressing support for terrorist organizations.
"To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you," the president said in a Jan. 30 fact sheet on the executive order. "I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before."
Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. Email tips to [email protected] or on Twitter at @audpants.
