University of Virginia bans student protest encampments after unruly spring

The University of Virginia has updated its protest policies to include a ban on encampments. This comes in response to the nationwide anti-Israel Gaza camps that sprung up on college campuses this past spring. Additionally, demonstrators who conceal their identities behind facial coverings will now be required to provide identification documents upon request.

The updates were made on August 26, and can be found on the university's website listed under free speech policies and regulations. According to the policies, tents are prohibited on campus without prior approval from the safety office. If a tent is erected, it must be taken down between midnight and 6 am or after 18 hours. Students are also prohibited from sleeping outdoors.

The university said outdoor areas for protesting cannot "restrict equal access to shared university spaces." There will be no outdoor demonstrations allowed between the hours of 2 am and 6 am, as per the policies.

Officials also cracked down on protesters who use facial coverings to conceal their identities. Those who do so "must present an identification document when requested by an authorized University official or otherwise establish their identity to the satisfaction of the authorized University official."

On May 4, the university was forced to call in Virginia State Police to dismantle an unruly Gaza camp erected on campus, which resulted in the arrest of 27 people. However, the university said it wanted arrests to be a last resort and established a new penalty system. Students who do not "wilfully comply" with orders will be temporarily suspended, disenrolled from their courses, and barred from campuses after receiving a warning as they await a campus judiciary hearing.

"Our objective is to address the matter at the lowest possible level, even when we observe conduct that is inconsistent with University policies," said Kenyon Bonner in a press release, who is the vice president and chief officer of student affairs.

The University of California and California State University also announced bans on encampments this month, including barricades, as per Higher Ed Dive.
The left-wing American Association of University Professors decried the campus crackdowns, calling the protest policy changes "overly restrictive" in an Aug. 14 statement.