Overview
- University Democrats at the University of Texas have scheduled Piker to speak on Sept. 30, and organizers say more than 2,500 people registered while the university approved only a 466-seat auditorium.
- Student organizers at UT say officials declined requests for larger campus venues for safety reasons, a decision the organizers described as a de facto or "soft" cancellation of a larger on-campus event.
- Cornell is hosting Piker in its 600-seat chapel with tickets claimed quickly, while the University of Washington canceled a planned appearance after finding the invitation process did not meet its speaker-series standards.
- Elected officials and some Jewish groups have publicly condemned Piker’s past comments and warned they make Jewish students feel unsafe, even as civil liberties advocates warn that disinviting speakers can set a precedent for a "heckler's veto."
- The debate highlights uneven campus rules and rising stakes for administrators because Piker’s provocative remarks about Israel and American Jews have polarized student groups and put university review practices under scrutiny.