A judge has ruled that the University of New Mexico (UNM) must stop imposing security fees on student organizations hosting speech events on campus. The decision comes after the UNM College Libertarians group sued the university, arguing that the security fees were unfairly targeting certain groups based on the content of their speech.
According to the lawsuit, the College Libertarians were required to pay a $3,400 security fee in order to host an event featuring controversial speaker Milo Yiannopoulos. The group claimed that this fee was discriminatory and violated their First Amendment rights.
In response to the lawsuit, a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction ordering UNM to cease imposing security fees on student organizations hosting speech events. The judge found that the university’s policy of charging security fees based on the content of the speech was unconstitutional and violated the students’ rights to free expression.
The ruling is being hailed as a victory for free speech on campus, with many praising the judge’s decision to protect students’ First Amendment rights. The lawsuit and subsequent injunction highlight the ongoing debate over free speech and censorship on college campuses, with many arguing that universities should not be able to impose restrictions on speech based on its content.
Moving forward, UNM will be required to revise its policies regarding security fees for speech events in order to comply with the judge’s ruling. The university has not yet commented on the decision or indicated whether they plan to appeal the ruling.
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