Protesters do not have the right to “commandeer the lawn on a university campus,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said in response to the chaos ensuing at universities across the country as anti-Israel, pro-Hamas demonstrators continue to “rule the roost,” but Florida universities take a different approach.

“I think that they are walking the line, right? You have a right to say what you want. You have a right to express your opinions. You don’t have a right to commandeer the lawn on a university campus. You don’t have a right to harass other people,” DeSantis said on Tuesday when asked how Florida universities are handling the anti-Israel protests.

The University of Florida, for example, arrested several protesters on Monday after they repeatedly broke the rules reiterated to them. In a statement following the arrests, the university made it clear that “the University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children.”

The statement continued:

They knew the rules, they broke the rules, and they’ll face the consequences. For many days, we have patiently told protesters — many of whom are outside agitators — that they were able to exercise their right to free speech and free assembly. And we also told them that clearly prohibited activities would result in a trespassing order from UPD (barring them from all university properties for three years) and an interim suspension from the university. For days, UPD patiently and consistently reiterated the rules. Today, individuals who refused to comply were arrested after UPD gave multiple warnings and multiple opportunities to comply.

“You don’t have a right to physically impede — at Columbia, some of these students are taking people captive now. They’re overrunning the school. That is the inmates running the asylum,” DeSantis continued, defending Florida’s approach.

“And so, in Florida, you can say things, you can have positions, that’s fine,” he said, making it clear that they are not going to allow protesters and agitators to set up a “tent city in the middle of a university”:

I think that that’s sensible. And I think that just — and forget about even the issues that are animating this — it’s just common decency that you wouldn’t do that. … I think at both at University of Florida and at Florida State, you did have a very relatively small number group of students, I think, were bringing tents on the lawn, and they turned the sprinklers on, and that was the end of that.

DeSantis explained that is how it “should be” in contrast to how officials are handling the unrest at Columbia University, which he described as “toxic.”

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Jessica Schwalb via Storyful

The governor continued:

That is an environment that if you’re a Jewish student, you are not safe in that environment. They are blocking Jewish students from being able to go to class. They are harassing Jewish professors. They are doing things that are far beyond them just expressing their opinions — and I think that, as much as I disagree with their opinions, you know, they have a right to do that — but you don’t have a right to commandeer the university. You don’t have a right to disrupt, to harass, to intimidate, and do all those other things. And Florida, I think people are looking at Florida’s universities and saying, “Why can’t this happen at these other places?”

DeSantis explained that things are not getting completely out of hand at Florida universities because there are consequences for poor behavior unlike getting a tiny “slap on the wrist” at places such as Columbia.

“In Florida, you know, if you are violating appropriate conduct — especially if you’re warned — you could be expelled, and they’re willing to do that,” he added.

WATCH the Q&A below:

Governor DeSantis Announces the Freedom Month Tax Holiday https://t.co/mEh8wUuSH3

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 30, 2024

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