Update (5.7.24): After NEFAC and other advocates demanded charges against journalists from The Dartmouth be dropped, Dartmouth College President Sian Leah Beilock said that “the student journalists for The Dartmouth who were on the Green to report on the protests should not have been arrested for doing their jobs. We are working with local authorities to ensure this error is corrected.” College officials previously refused to acknowledge any wrongful arrests.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org
MAY 3 LETTER
The New England First Amendment Coalition is deeply concerned about reports of two Dartmouth College student journalists being arrested while covering a protest on their campus Wednesday night.
The protest is one of many pro-Palestinian demonstrations occurring on college campuses throughout the country in response to the war in Gaza.
While the appropriate response by university officials in the region can vary depending on the circumstances, NEFAC emphasized in a May 3 letter to Dartmouth College President Sian Leah Beilock the need to respect the speech rights of students and to protect the ability of journalists to cover demonstrations.
“Freedom of speech and of the press is enshrined in our constitution and must thrive on our campuses,” NEFAC President Gregory V. Sullivan said. “Whether public or private, universities must use the First Amendment as its guiding light when responding to these protests.”
NEFAC is asking President Sian Beilock to do the following:
• Publicly denounce the arrests of any student journalists who were covering the May 1 protest and doing nothing more than exercising their right to report on newsworthy campus events.
• Provide university resources and support to those student journalists and insist that any charges against them are dropped.
• Work with student journalists, their newsrooms and law enforcement to prevent any future arrests or other interference in campus newsgathering.
NEFAC is the region’s leading advocate for the First Amendment and the public’s right to know about government. Student journalists in need of assistance are encouraged to email NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman at justin@nefac.org.
NEFAC was formed in 2006 to advance and protect the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment, including the principle of the public’s right to know. We’re a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of an informed democratic society. Our members include lawyers, journalists, historians, academics and private citizens.
Our coalition is funded through contributions made by those who value the First Amendment and who strive to keep government accountable. Please make a donation here.
NEFAC is supported by the Estate of Gloria Negri. Additional funding is provided by Leadership Circle donors including the Rhode Island Foundation, The Boston Globe, Paul and Ann Sagan, and the Robertson Foundation. Major Supporters of NEFAC’s work are Hearst Connecticut Media Group, Boston University, the Academy of New England Journalists, Connecticut Public, WCVB-Boston and WBUR-Boston.