The heckler’s veto on college campuses violates the First Amendment
In recent years, a type of heckler’s veto has occurred on college and university campuses referred to as the “shout-down.” Students and others upset over a message will shout down the speaker. When students are so disruptive that they shout down or even attack a speaker, they have crossed the line from protected speech into unprotected conduct. While students and faculty have free speech rights at public universities to voice opposition to or criticize a speaker, an invited speaker – even if controversial or offensive to many – also has a free speech right to be heard.
This can result in a referral to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards as a violation of the Code of Conduct.
Source: The Freedom Forum, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to foster First Amendment freedoms for all. Learn more about The First Amendment and the Heckler’s Veto here: https://www.freedomforum.org/hecklers-veto/