(LifeSiteNews) — Some college students say violence could be an “acceptable” way to stop campus speakers.
The survey, from free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), shows an overall decline in support for political violence among college students. The group surveyed 63,000 students at 262 schools as part of its annual review of free speech on college campuses.
Last year, 34 percent of college students said, “using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.”
This year, 30 percent of students affirmed the statement; however, half of those respondents said it could be justified in more than merely “rare” situations.
The answer “rarely” might be misunderstood. FIRE asks students, “How acceptable would you say it is for students to engage in the following actions to protest a campus speaker? Using violence to stop a campus speech.”
The options were “always acceptable,” “sometimes acceptable,” “rarely acceptable,” and “never acceptable.”
Respondents might have interpreted “rarely acceptable” as akin to opposing violence. Still, 3 percent chose “always acceptable” and 12 percent chose “sometimes acceptable.”
The answers are particularly disturbing in the wake of the 1-year anniversary of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
While a minority endorse direct violence, a majority say shouting down speakers is acceptable.
Sixty-nine percent of students, according to FIRE, “say shouting down a speaker on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.”
Of this, 5 percent say it is “always acceptable’ while 30 percent say it is “sometimes acceptable.” Again, the “rarely acceptable” could be read two ways.
FIRE also ranks universities based on their speech policies. It said the best school for free speech is the University of Chicago.
However, that school has repeatedly denied a Turning Point USA group from forming, as The College Fix previously reported.
Other data within the survey shows how LGBT identification continues to spike on college campuses, indicating the possibility of a social contagion
Only 14 percent of Mt Holyoke women identify as straight https://t.co/h0Yoy2pFBG
— Wesley Yang (@wesyang) September 10, 2026
Students also cited difficulty talking about President Donald Trump on campus, as well as the Israel-Palestine conflict.
An equal number of students said “yes” and “no” when asked if it was “difficult” to “have an open and honest conversation on your campus.”
Meanwhile, a majority of respondents said campuses should not allow a speaker who says abortion should be illegal.
This includes 72 percent of “very liberal” students who said the speaker should not or “probably should not” be allowed to speak.
Notably, 26 percent of “very conservative” students would oppose a pro-life speaker on campus.