A federal judge in Columbus ruled Ohio State University likely violated a student's free speech last year after he was expelled after he posted pro-Palestine and anti-Israel comments on social media.
The former second-year student, Guy Christensen, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio sued Ohio State last year, alleging the university violated Christensen's 1st Amendment and 14th Amendment rights. U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Ohio Judge Edmund Sargus Jr. granted a preliminary injunction against OSU, saying the university must expunge any mention of the expulsion from Christensen's academic record.
The court case remains open.
During Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, Christensen was one of many U.S. college students who spoke up against Israel. The country killed tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza and was accused of genocide. This latest conflict was sparked after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,000 people and kidnapping hundreds.
Christensen identifies himself as a fervent supporter of the Palestinian liberation movement and critic of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza. Christensen had more than 3 million followers on social media including TikTok, X, Instagram and Substack.
Christensen made posts critical of U.S. politicians, including U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York City, for supporting Zionism and pro-Israel political entities like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC.
Christensen also made a post recanting condemnation of the murder of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington D.C. in May and read aloud the manifesto of the man who shot the two victims.
President Donald Trump's administration also weighed in on the posts. Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice and Torres called for Christensen to be investigated for alleged threats he made.
To date, Christensen hasn't faced any criminal charges despite statements from the Trump administration to investigate him.
Ohio State University spokesman Ben Johnson sent a short statement to WOSU, saying the university was "disappointed" in the ruling.
ACLU of Ohio Managing Legal Director David Carey applauded the ruling in a statement.
“Today’s ruling underscores one of the most foundational concepts of our Constitution: political opinions may not be silenced or punished merely because they may give offense," Carey said. "We applaud the court’s ruling not only for its vindication of a student’s right to free expression, but also as a critical reminder to our institutions of higher education. Universities must and should stand against efforts to silence or punish dissenting ideas, not facilitate those efforts at the expense of their students.”
The court filing on the ruling said Christensen now attends a different university and may apply to a university abroad in the future.
