Our democracy was founded, in part on protest. Fast forward to the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s; peaceful demonstrations led by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., changed the fabric of our nation. Peaceful protests are a central principle of our democracy and students standing for justice have often been a catalyst for much-needed change. From the Vietnam War protests, the struggle for gender equality, the movement for Black lives, to the global movement for peace in Israel and Palestine, many of the rights we enjoy today were earned thanks to the tenacity of students demonstrating on university campuses. I call on university administrators to ensure that there are no academic repercussions for peaceful student protestors at the University of Chicago. I urge law enforcement — at all levels of government — to exercise restraint. To the demonstrators, be mindful of your words. There is no time, nor tolerance for hate speech. Your purpose is justice, not division. Safety for all students must be the priority. My office is monitoring the situation at campuses in our district and around the country. I will continue working federally for a lasting bilateral ceasefire in Gaza to save lives, return the hostages, release prisoners, and deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the region.