January 1, Rutgers Faces Uproar Over Antifa-Aligned Professor

Wyatt’s Take

• Rutgers launches a safety and academic freedom review after backlash toward “Dr. Antifa.”
• Petitions call for firing professor linked to Antifa activism and controversial writings.
• University promises protection for free speech, but students say conservatives are being silenced.

The chancellor of Rutgers University says the school is dedicated to academic freedom while starting a safety review and new task force. This follows heated debate over professor Mark Bray’s public support for Antifa and his claims of being targeted and threatened.

“I write today to reaffirm Rutgers University’s unwavering commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression—values that define a great research university and underpin our mission of discovery, dialogue, and public engagement,” Chancellor Francine Conway said.

She recognized the worries sparked by doxing and harassment, and stated support for “any member of our community who has been targeted for their scholarship.”

Students with Turning Point USA launched a petition to remove Mark Bray because of his statements and writings supporting Antifa. Bray is the author of “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook,” which promises that at least half of the profits go to the International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund.

That group claims to have sent over $250,000 to more than 800 anti-fascists worldwide. Bray recently moved his family overseas, saying threats and harassment forced the decision.

Chancellor Conway told campus police and tech officers to boost campus safety protocols. She condemned doxing and promised stronger protections for staff and students.

She also called for a faculty review of academic freedom in “the current climate.”

“Free speech and academic freedom do not shield any of us from disagreement or critique,” Conway wrote. “At Rutgers, we encourage open and robust debate—even on the most controversial topics. Yet, the appropriate response to speech we oppose is more speech, not actions that seek to intimidate or threaten the personal safety of others.”

Turning Point USA chapter leaders said the university is protecting Bray and ignoring threats to conservatives. Student Megyn Doyle argued, “If Rutgers truly aims to protect academic freedom, freedom of speech and open debate, it must hold Mark Bray to that same standard.”

Another student, Ava Kwan, said the school is “whitewashing Bray’s call for ‘preemptive violence’ against conservatives as ‘scholarship.’” She said, “They are running cover for the radical left and burying any mention of the doxxing campaign against my family!”

Rutgers says it wants open debate for all, but students say the issue runs deeper when one side’s voices feel threatened or erased.

Wyatt Matters

Middle Americans value true open debate, not double standards. When universities pick sides and ignore the concerns of everyday folks, trust erodes fast. Every student and teacher deserves equal protection and a say, no matter their beliefs.

Full story here