Following pro-Palestinian protests that spread from US universities this spring to campuses worldwide, US schools are tightening security ahead of the start of fall classes, including a ban on protest camps, but these measures are already under fire as violating freedom of speech, Anadolu reports.

Thousands of students across the country protested their universities’ financial support for companies that support Israel’s deadly occupation of Gaza, camping out on campuses despite police intervention. These demonstrations, which lasted from around April until graduation in June, prompted university administrators to address concerns about future protests.

New York’s Columbia University, where the pro-Gaza protests got their initial spark, has fenced off the lawns where student camps were previously established.

In a July email to students, the administration announced plans to introduce a color-coded campus system, restricting access to campus activities. In addition, the university is reportedly considering bringing in peace officers with arrest powers to bolster its existing security force of 290 personnel.