Kinsey Dyal

Kinsey Dyal

Tampa SDS protest

On October 26, 2024, 25 students and community members held a rally near campus to defend free speech on campus. The rally was held in response to the University of South Florida (USF)'s escalated political repression of the student movement, where administration has expelled Victoria Hinckley, suspended Saba Indawala, and deported Joseph Charry, all organizers with Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, for their solidarity with Palestine.

Students and community members gathered to demand that USF drop the conduct charges on Saba Indawala, defend the right to protest the genocide in Gaza, and stop policy 6-028, a recently amended policy that heavily represses students’ rights to free speech on USF’s campuses.

USF administration, continuing with its repression of the student movement, recently placed conduct charges on SDS members and student protesters Vicky Tong, Kinsey Dyal and Daniel Mendez for organizing a SDS protest for free speech on October 1. More than three weeks after the protest, the USF administration has placed bogus charges such as “failure to comply” and violation of “university policy.”

Student organizations spoke in solidarity with the local student movement, with a speaker from the Pan-African Party stating, “As a student organization ourselves, it’s important we use our voice, our power, our organization for the benefit of the people.” Other student organizations voiced their support for the student movement, stating that it was shameful that USF continues to stifle and prevent student voices from being heard.

Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society was joined by Bulls Dabke, Pan-African Party, and Triota Women's and Gender Studies Honor Society. Community organizations present included Tampa Democratic Society of America, Sunrise Tampa, New Era Young Lords, Food Not Bombs, and Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.