Dinner & Dialogue: Should Universities Allow Disruptive Protests?

In April of 2024, anti-war protests on the WashU campus were found to violate a university policy prohibiting “activity that disrupts or obstructs the functions of the university or imminently threatens such disruption or obstruction” and were declared unlawful after protesters remained on campus.  Over 100 people were arrested, including 23 students and four university employees.  WashU has since adopted a policy broadly prohibiting disruptive actions and distinguishing these from permissible protest.  Are these policies too restrictive?  Not restrictive enough?  Under what conditions might protesters appropriately violate these policies as an act of civil disobedience?  Join us for a conversation with Gregory Magarian (Law) and Frank Lovett (Political Science), who will debate these and other questions about the scope of protest.

Light dinner will be served.  All are welcome for this free and unticketed event.

Seating and food are limited; arrive early to ensure a seat!

This event is organized by the Civil Society Initiative at WashU and is sponsored by the Frick Initiative and the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy.