What is an ‘illegal protest’? Trump threatens expulsion or arrest for students involved in campus protests

1. What is an ‘illegal protest’? Trump threatens expulsion or arrest for students involved in campus protests

What is an ‘illegal protest’? Trump threatens expulsion or arrest for students involved in campus protests ByVaishnavi Vaidyanathan Mar 04, 2025 11:43 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Trump threatened to halt all federal funding for colleges that permit "illegal" protests. This statement comes amid widespread protests across US campuses.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to halt all federal funding for colleges, schools, and universities that permit "illegal" protests. He also warned that students involved in such protests could face expulsions or arrests

Trump threatened to halt all federal funding for colleges that permit "illegal" protests.(AFP)

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

This statement comes amid widespread protests across US campuses sparked by Israel's retaliatory bombing in Gaza following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Recently, protests erupted at Barnard College in Manhattan, where students stormed a campus building after two students were expelled for disrupting a Columbia University class on Israeli history. While Barnard College is affiliated with Columbia, it handles the discipline of its own students.

An "illegal" protest generally refers to a public demonstration or gathering that violates laws or regulations established by governing authorities. Examples include:

Protests involving violence, property damage, or harm to individuals.

Protests on private property without the owner's permission.

Protests that ignore police directives to disperse.

Protests advocating illegal activities, such as hate speech or inciting violence.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the US First Amendment protects the right to “peacefully assemble and protest.” This includes the right to petition the government.

However, courts have ruled that governments can impose “time, place, and manner” restrictions on protests.

“The government may impose reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of speech, but these restrictions cannot be based on the content of the speech. For example, speech may be restricted if it is very loud in a residential area at 2:00 a.m. On the other hand, the government may not prevent a protest because it has an anti-war message,” as per ACLU's official website.