UN Official Addresses Assaults against Peaceful U.S. Campus Protesters

May 11—UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education Farida Shaheed stated on May 10, “I am deeply troubled by the violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, arrests, detentions, police violence, surveillance and disciplinary measures and sanctions against members of the educational community exercising their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.” In a statement concluding her an official visit to the U.S., she also said that the students are unfairly being targeted for their political views. She detailed how 307 educational laws or policies have been introduced in the United States to restrict curricula, ban books, or place gag orders on educators and that this has a “chilling effect” on the free exchange of ideas.