Free speech group censures New York University for canceling Oct. 7 event

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech advocacy group, condemns New York University’s law school for canceling an event scheduled for October 7, the two-year anniversary of the Hamas invasion of Israel.

The law school had been scheduled to host an event by the conservative Federalist Society, but reportedly canceled the talk due to “security concerns” related to expected protests related to the October 7 anniversary.

The Federalist Society event was scheduled to feature Ilya Shapiro, a Jewish attorney who has criticized anti-Israel protesters and universities.

A law school administrator first asked that the event switch locations, which student organizers agreed to, but then the administrator said that Shapiro could not come to the campus at all, The Free Beacon reported.

“Doing the work for the would-be censors without even needing them to show up, NYU Law School’s reported decision to cancel the Federalist Society’s event with Ilya Shapiro is a textbook heckler’s veto,” says FIRE Special Counsel for Campus Advocacy Robert Shibley.

“By preemptively canceling a student-sponsored lecture due to expected opposition, NYU allows the threat of disruption to override students’ and speakers’ rights to listen and be heard,” Shibley says. “By also approving other events scheduled for the same time, NYU sends the message that only some views can be heard on campus. Universities cannot selectively disfavor one speaker while approving other major events on the same day.”

“NYU must reaffirm its commitment to free expression by ensuring that all student groups, regardless of viewpoint, can peacefully host events with invited speakers without facing censorship disguised as logistics,” he says.