A UCSC student is speaking out after campus police seized her phone just days after she joined a civil rights lawsuit against the university for its treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters. The incident has raised significant concerns about students’ privacy rights and the university’s actions against activists voicing dissent.
The student, who had been actively involved in organizing protests over the Gaza conflict, claims that the university’s police targeted her after she publicly joined a lawsuit challenging the university’s crackdown on protesters. Just 15 days after joining the case, UCSC police arrived at her residence in the early morning, demanding her phone. Despite her request to see the warrant, the officers insisted on taking the device first before showing the document. Alarmingly, the warrant included a screenshot of her giving an interview about the lawsuit, suggesting the university was aware of her involvement in the legal case.
“I never imagined that campus police could seize a student’s phone, accessing everything from my personal messages to private photos,” she explained. “But after the pro-Palestine protests last spring, we all wondered who would be targeted next.”
This controversial move comes on the heels of last spring’s protests, when numerous students, including the plaintiff, were banned from campus for engaging in activism during the Gaza conflict. Following the protests, students raised concerns about the growing trend of retaliatory actions taken by the university against those speaking out on sensitive issues.
The student claims that the timing of the phone seizure—right after filing the lawsuit against UCSC—appears to be no coincidence. With the warrant granting UCSC police access to personal communications, including privileged lawyer-client exchanges, many are questioning the university’s motives in suppressing dissent and retaliating against its students.
In the wake of this event, the plaintiff is now focused on navigating the legal complexities of the lawsuit while struggling to maintain her academic and personal life. “The violation of my privacy has been overwhelming,” she said. “It feels like my digital life has been laid bare, and I’m left trying to piece together what comes next.”
This case has drawn attention to the broader issue of student rights, privacy, and the role of universities in regulating political activism. Legal experts argue that UCSC’s actions could set a dangerous precedent for how universities treat students who engage in controversial or politically charged protests.
As the legal battle continues, the plaintiff’s courage in speaking out is sparking discussions about the limits of academic freedom and the power dynamics between students and their institutions.
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