For Journalists

9 p.m. Update No. 2 on a protest at USF –

As of 8 p.m., USF Police confirmed that 10 individuals have been taken into custody. Police found one of the individuals arrested was carrying a concealed firearm.

6 p.m. Update on a protest at USF –

The University of South Florida values the right to free speech and protecting the constitutional right for individuals and groups on campus to express themselves.  This includes peaceful protests and demonstrations that occur regularly on USF’s three campuses without incident and are part of the public discourse of a university.  However, the expression of free speech must remain peaceful and not violate the law or USF policies. The university has been clear that violence, threats, harassment and disruptions will not be tolerated.   

Beginning in the morning of Tuesday, April 30, approximately 75-100 protestors, including some students and some individuals who are not affiliated with the university, arrived on campus with several items, including wood shields, umbrellas and tents.  Throughout the day, USF staff members and university police remained in regular communication with protestors about the expectations for maintaining a peaceful event.  

As the day progressed, police observed participants in person and through social media expressing their intent to use some of the items they brought on campus as weapons and to resist university staff members and law enforcement officers. As a result, USF police determined that the protest was no longer peaceful, and participants must leave the area.

At that point officers made multiple attempts to inform participants that the protest was ending, and they needed to disperse.  Several times protestors were given verbal instructions by police that the assembly was now considered unlawful and warnings that failure to comply would result in further actions, including arrest.  When participants refused to comply with the direction, university police with supporting law enforcement agencies dispersed the event. A number of individuals were taken into custody. 

Additional updates will be provided as needed when more information is available.

The University of South Florida values the right to free speech and protecting the constitutional right for individuals and groups on campus to express themselves.  This includes peaceful protests and demonstrations that occur regularly on USF’s three campuses without incident and are part of the public discourse of a university.  However, the expression of free speech must remain peaceful and not violate the law or USF policies.  The university has been clear that violence, threats, harassment and disruptions will not be tolerated.  

At 12 p.m. on Monday, April 29, a student organization, the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), attempted to hold a protest outside of the library on the USF Tampa campus. The group was placed on interim suspension last week after causing a disruption on campus.  Suspended student organizations are not permitted to host events and activities, which the group was made aware of several times prior to today’s protest, including another reminder this morning.

When the student organization attempted to hold a protest anyway, university staff informed them that they were not authorized to continue. The protest, which included persons both affiliated with SDS and unaffiliated with the university, then moved away from the library to other locations on campus.  The protests continued until participants attempted to set up tents.  Under university policy, tents are prohibited without approval and are not permitted to be left up overnight. No student group requested such approvals for any events this week, therefore there are no authorized events using tents on campus this week. Again, while suspended SDS may not have any on campus activities.

All students and student organizations were reminded yesterday, April 28, that under university policy tents cannot be set up on campus without prior approval. This warning, which was again communicated to SDS this morning, was ignored. Before removing tents, university staff again tried to advise protestors that they could not use tents. Participants refused to comply with directions from staff members.  Several individuals resisted actions by university staff to take down the tents after repeated warnings, which resulted in three arrests, including one student, one employee and one individual who is not affiliated with the university. 

Additional updates will be provided as needed.

For more than a decade, some individuals have campaigned for USF to divest funds from companies with ties to Israel.  USF’s consistent position on this issue has been, and continues to be, that the university will not divest.

USF’s investments are guided by its mission, fiduciary responsibilities and state and federal laws.  USF does not select individual stocks or companies for investment.  USF will continue to make summary information about investments public, consistent with the university’s investment policy and legal requirements.