Tampa Students Fight for Free Speech on Campus and Face Further Repression – Fight Back! News

Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, October 1, approximately six students who are members of the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society at the University of South Florida took a stand. They attempted to hold a free speech rally on campus for pro-Palestine protests.

Students gathered to begin the rally when Dean of Students Danielle McDonald stopped the students and prevented the rally. Although no event took place, the dean, along with campus security and police, threatened students with trespassing and arrest for simply being on campus. She refused to let students leave the country without presenting their student ID. Two students at the attempted rally, Isabella Deschene and Saba Indawala, have since been suspended, trespassing and face false code of conduct allegations.

This came after the intensified political repression that Tampa Bay SDS faced after leading the Gaza Solidarity Camp at the USF. After being tear gassed and shot at with rubber bullets by the university and police, Tampa Bay SDS was expelled from USF for leading this fight for Palestine on its campus. In addition, two members of the SDS were given severe punishments by the USF for organizing the camp for Palestine. Victoria Hinckley, a senior at the school, was expelled and the school continues to deny her graduation. Joseph Charry, an international student from Colombia, was suspended for a year, had his student visa revoked and had to leave the country.

Now, five months after the camp, Tampa Bay SDS continues to fight for the lifting of these student sanctions, for USF's immediate withdrawal from Israel, and now for free speech on campus. The university has adopted strict, restrictive free speech policies. The student movement remains strong and students on campus have and will continue to fight against this political oppression by the USF government.

Isabella Deschene, one of the recently suspended SDS members, says: “This was another blatant act of repression and will not deter students from continuing to fight for what we believe in. We will continue to advocate for freedom of expression and protest against the genocide in Gaza.” We will continue to denounce USF’s complicity and its disregard for the student body’s demands for disclosure and divestment.”

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