In his appearance on campus, Bennett drew a large crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters. Most remained outside of the event and chanted loudly. That is, of course, a form of free speech and should be protected on campus. They have every right to protest and express their disagreements with Bennett or the State of Israel.
However, roughly a couple dozen protesters went inside the event and shouted down Bennett, according to reports in the Princetonian. The protesters screamed profanities and chanted “Naftali Bennett, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide.”
Supporters of Bennett stated that the “sustained disruption and illegal activity forced the premature end of an event.”
While initial disrupters were removed from the room, other protesters took turns interrupting the event. Then one protester pulled the fire alarm and brought the event to a close.
I discuss deplatforming in my book, “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.” It is a false claim that such shout downs are a form of free speech. We have seen such disruptions continue, particularly with Israeli speakers.
Years ago, I debated NYU Professor Jeremy Waldron who is a leading voice for speech codes. Waldron insisted that shutting down speakers through heckling is a form of free speech. I disagree. It is the antithesis of free speech and the failure of schools to protect the exercise of free speech is the antithesis of higher education. In most schools, people are not allowed to disrupt events. They are escorted out of such events and told that they can protest outside of the events since others have a right to listen to opposing views. These disruptions, however, are often planned to continually interrupt speakers until the school authorities step in to cancel the event.
Princetonians for Free Speech have struggled to restore free speech on campus and they have had some success. However, this is an obvious test of that commitment. While some protesters wore masks, most did not. Any students who went inside the event to prevent Bennett from being heard should be suspended. Any faculty involved in such action should be terminated.
The essence of higher education is the fostering of diverse viewpoints and open dialogue. Those who are shouting down speakers are seeking to impose their own views and orthodoxy on others. They are unwilling to allow others to hear opposing views. In doing so, they have removed themselves from a community of intellectuals committing to the free exchange of ideas.
Yet, universities like Stanford and Northwestern are notorious for mouthing free speech values but doing little to protect. After the disgraceful disruption of the event with Judge Duncan at Stanford, I wrote a critical column on the ridiculous response of Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Law School Dean Jenny Martinez who declined to punish any students. Instead all students were required to watch a widely mocked video on free speech.
It is now Princeton’s time to decide whether it will actively defend free speech or adopt a purely passive or pedestrian stance. I hope that Princeton will announce that it will investigate and respond to this disruption.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”