John Carpay: Protests Must Be Handled Under the Rule of Law, Not Politics

Protests Should Follow the Rule of Law, Not Politics, John Carpay Argues

April 30, 2024 TruthUSA

Commentary

In the Gaza “encampment movement,” as the media has dubbed it, pro-Palestine protesters have set up fencing and tents on campus, contrary to university rules at the University of Ottawa, McGill University in Montreal, and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

One of the protesters at UBC stated, “As Canadians, we have the right to demonstrate peacefully as long as there is no violence. We have the right to protest this. … We believe we have the freedom of speech, which is not taken away from us.”

Freedom of speech does not include a freedom to disregard university rules and policies, as long as those rules and policies are enforced fairly and equally for all groups, regardless of the group’s beliefs or opinions. Colleges, universities, and other government bodies are entitled to regulate the time, place, and manner of expression permitted on public property.

When dealing with protests, authorities should look at the behavior of the protesters, not the cause they are protesting for. The law should be applied equally: enforce existing laws against illegal behavior and do not interfere with legal behavior.

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In various instances, protesters engaged in criminal behavior while the response from authorities varied widely based on the cause being protested. The selective prosecution of offenses based on political views rather than behavior is a threat to the rule of law and it is essential for authorities to respect the law and apply it equally.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

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