New Brunswick, NJ – The assassination of Charlie Kirk last month was not enough for some students and faculty at Rutgers University. Now, they want to force the university to terminate Kirk’s Turning Point USA chapter on campus.
A petition calling for Rutgers University to dissolve its chapter of the conservative organization Turning Point USA is gaining traction, reigniting debate over free speech and campus safety.
The online campaign, titled “Disband the Rutgers Chapter of Turning Point USA,” has drawn more than a hundred signatures in recent days.
Supporters argue that TPUSA’s campus activities have crossed a line from political discourse into behavior they describe as harassment and intimidation.
The petition alleges that the group’s actions have “created a toxic environment” and claims that a professor recently left the country over safety concerns tied to threats and online harassment. The post links to a Reddit thread discussing the incident, which has fueled broader conversation among students and faculty.
Calls for Rutgers to act
Petition organizers say the university has an obligation to uphold an inclusive environment and that TPUSA’s conduct violates the principles of academic respect and safety. The petition, directed at Rutgers administrators, states that the organization “promotes hate speech and incites violence,” urging the university to revoke its campus status immediately.
Rutgers has not yet issued a public statement addressing the petition or the specific allegations against the group. TPUSA, which operates hundreds of college chapters nationwide, has previously said its mission is to promote conservative values and free market principles among students.
Clash over speech and inclusion
The petition is part of ongoing national tensions surrounding political speech on college campuses. Supporters of the Rutgers TPUSA chapter argue that calls to disband the organization amount to censorship and an attack on viewpoint diversity.
Critics, however, say that the group’s rhetoric has gone beyond protected speech and has endangered members of the university community.
As the petition continues to circulate, students and faculty remain divided over whether Rutgers should intervene or defend the organization’s right to operate. The university’s next steps could set a precedent for how schools across the country navigate the balance between free expression and community safety.