NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Mariam Tariq
Chief of Staff
Mayor Farrah N. Khan
949-724-6229
In Support of UCI Student’s First Amendment Rights
IRVINE, Calif. (April 29, 2024): As we continue to receive news on the peaceful assembly of students at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Mayor Farrah N. Khan, City of Irvine, would like to remind the public of their legal rights during protests, demonstrations, and gatherings.
Individuals have a fundamental, constitutionally‐guaranteed right to gather, demonstrate, and protest. Under the First Amendment, anyone in the United States must be afforded the ability to access any places historically open to the public and where “public access plays a significant positive role.”
California public college and university students generally have the same constitutional free speech protections in their schools that they do as members of the community at large. Courts have recognized the vigilant protection of free speech as vital at colleges and universities. The California State Education Code also generally provides public college and university students with the same free speech rights on campus they have off campus.
With this in mind, Mayor Khan preemptively condemns any actions taken by UCI and law enforcement agencies that will violate the First Amendment rights of students at University of California, Irvine (UCI):
“I am asking our law enforcement to stand down. I will not tolerate any violations to our students’ rights to peacefully assemble and protest.”
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