Harvard Suspends Faculty from Library Access Over Silent Protest Supporting Pro-Palestine Students

In an unprecedented disciplinary move, Harvard University has barred approximately 25 faculty members from accessing Widener Library for two weeks following their participation in a silent “study-in” protest last week. This demonstration, intended to support pro-Palestine students, echoes a similar "study-in" staged by students in September against Israel's military actions and Harvard’s alleged ties to the country. The students involved in the original protest were also temporarily banned from the library as a disciplinary response.

The protesting faculty members displayed banners quoting the library's Statement of Values with slogans like “EMBRACE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES” and read excerpts from free speech texts, including George Orwell’s 1984. Their action aimed to spotlight perceived inequities in Harvard's free speech policies, suggesting these are disproportionately enforced against students with certain political views. Harvard Library officials argue that even silent gatherings disrupt the intended quiet study space, as they shift the library from a place of individual reflection to a space for public demonstration.

Martha Whitehead, head of Harvard Library, defended the action in an essay, stating, “Seeking attention is in itself disruptive.” She noted feedback from students who avoided the library due to the demonstrations. However, government professor Ryan Enos, who participated in the faculty protest, criticized the library's response, calling it an arbitrary reaction. He insisted the study-in was minimally disruptive, despite administrators’ claims to the contrary.

In response, over 50 students organized another study-in at Harvard Law School’s Langdell Library, demanding Harvard divest its multibillion-dollar endowment from Israel and safeguard students’ rights to dissent.