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In an interview with WILX, Levine & Levine Attorney Anastase Markou explained that U.S. universities are in a difficult position regarding student protests surrounding the potential removal of campus surveillance.
A coalition of more than 30 civil rights and privacy groups are currently urging U.S. universities to remove surveillance methods. The groups say the effort is to help prevent the federal government from retaliating against student protestors.
The push comes after student protests in support of Palestine took over college campuses across the country last year. Activists say those institutions should protect a student’s right to free speech, but universities could face consequences if they don’t cooperate with the federal government.
“The issues are incredibly complicated,” Markou told WILX. “The Constitution says you’ve got to do one thing because you’re a public institution, and then we have government officials saying no, we want you to do something else.”
The federal government has threatened to cut funding for universities that allowed some pro-Palestinian protests to take place, saying they’re acts of antisemitism.
Markou said surveillance could be an obstacle to free speech if it keeps students from protesting. He adds that universities will have to consider the legal consequences, no matter how they respond.
Watch the full interview, here.
