TAMPA, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at the University of Florida on Wednesday, touting Florida’s efforts to maintain law and order as pro-Palestinian protests have spurred across the country in recent weeks and caused chaos on college campuses.

Ray Rodrigues, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida, expressed frustration with disruptive campus demonstrations and promised to remove law-breaking protesters who violate university policy.

“There will be no appeasement. There will be no amnesty, and there will be no divestment,” Rodrigues said, making his stance clear on calls for divestment from Israel.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to maintain law and order over pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses

  • State University Chancellor Ray Rodrigues expressed frustration with disruptive campus demonstrations and promised to remove law-breaking protesters who violate university policy

  • Victoria Hinkley, a member of Tampa Bay Students for Democratic Society, participated in a demonstration at the University of South Florida last week

  • Hinkley said she is facing charges of disruptive conduct and failure to comply and has been trespassed from campus by the university, despite being scheduled to graduate last Sunday

  • MORE STORIES: College campus protests across the U.S.

Victoria Hinkley, a member of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, participated in a demonstration at the University of South Florida last week.

“They’re trying to use the rhetoric of shutting down our protests, our demands based on anti-semitism, which isn’t true,” she said.

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd after repeated warnings. Hinkley said she is facing charges of disruptive conduct and failure to comply and has been trespassed from campus by the university, despite being scheduled to graduate last Sunday.

“They’re attacking me for being a student organizer and leading protests,” she said.

According to her, they violated her right to free speech.

“First Amendment rights have been respected, but our state statutes have been enforced,” said Rodrigues.

The chancellor said that universities have focused their resources on ensuring that commencements are not disrupted, as most of the graduates belong to the high school senior class of 2020. He mentioned that many of these students missed out on their graduation ceremonies because of the pandemic.

Despite not being able to graduate with her classmates, Hinkley believes it was worth it to be on the right side of history.

“They’re going to go down in history for, you know, using tear gas and rubber bullets and arresting people at a peaceful protest. Meanwhile, you know, we’re going to go down in history as standing up for Palestine and standing up to a genocide and saying that our universities need to divest,” said Hinkley.

Hinkley now has an attorney and a hearing this month will decide her future at USF.