CNN trotted out a Jewish history (Barnard) to tell us that all she saw were peaceful demonstrations. That might even be true. But it was presented as if to show that the many videos showing violent confrontations (and anti-Semitic placards) are fake news or manipulations. That isn’t true. There have been a lot of demonstrations on the campuses of American universities that did involve violent behavior on the part of the demonstrators (especially when there were no counter demonstrators present) and actions that damaged university property (breaking doors and windows, defacing buildings with graffiti, etc.). Bringing in law enforcement is a reasonable step to take. How (and if) to punish students for such actions (or for disregarding instructions by university administrators) is entirely up to the administrators. Punishing non-students (who in any cases appear to outnumber students) involved in such activity is up to the local judicial system.
What is really frightening to me is that the protestors are so appallingly ignorant of the events they claim to be acting against. Informed opposition is not what is happening. The radical rhetoric has even reached the stage where an American flag is torn down and burned in order to display a banner supporting a known terrorist organization. Jewish students (and even non-students) are threatened with both verbal abuse and physical violence. That goes well beyond any question of freedom of expression.
This behavior mirrors what the Palestinians (Hamas) has done with respect to the rule of law. Decisions contrary to their position are rejected (as are attempts to settle differences through negotiations) and they then claim that hose decisions give them the right to ignore any other provisions of laws in order to have their demands met.
Wetherhorn 