Two students recently filed a lawsuit against the University of Colorado, accusing school officials of violating their free speech and due process rights. Max Inman and Mari Rosenfeld were temporarily banned from the Boulder campus after participating in a peaceful pro-Palestine protest at a university job fair.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Denver by attorney Dan Williams, alleges that the university targeted and retaliated against Inman and Rosenfeld for their support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas conflict. CU Boulder issued an order excluding them from campus activities other than attending classes for nearly two months, hindering their ability to engage in First Amendment-protected activities.
According to the complaint, the students were members of Students for Justice in Palestine, a national organization with a chapter at CU Boulder. The group faced heightened scrutiny and security presence from the university compared to other student organizations, such as Students Supporting Israel.
The incident occurred during a STEM-focused job fair sponsored by CU that featured companies linked to the production of weapons used by the Israel Defense Forces. Inman and Rosenfeld, along with other SJP members, peacefully protested at the event to raise awareness about the companies’ involvement in the conflict.
Despite being in the building for only a few minutes, the students were subsequently placed in bad standing as a student organization and faced student conduct proceedings. They were issued a temporary exclusion order from campus, housing, and university activities without the opportunity for a hearing or appeal.
The exclusion was lifted after Thanksgiving break, but the students faced accusations of various offenses in a police report filed by CU Boulder’s dean of students. The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office did not pursue charges against the students.
In a statement, Rosenfeld expressed the importance of speaking out against injustices and emphasized the need for student voices to be heard on issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The lawsuit aims to challenge the university’s actions and protect the rights of students to engage in peaceful protest.
The case highlights the ongoing debate over free speech on college campuses and the challenges faced by students advocating for controversial causes. As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome could have significant implications for the future of student activism at CU Boulder and beyond.
