The suspension of a UC Berkeley computer science lecturer who went on a hunger strike over the war in Gaza and made pro-Palestinian remarks in the classroom has raised questions about free speech and the scope of academic freedom on the Bay Area campus.

Late last week, UC Berkeley administrators notified Peyrin Kao, 26, of his six-month unpaid suspension, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The suspension, handed down at a time of heightened tensions over free speech on campus , drew criticism from groups and faculty advocates, who immediately called for his reinstatement and launched a hunger strike in solidarity on Wednesday.

Some argued that the university’s decision was a blatant violation of Kao’s 1st Amendment rights and part of a broader effort to chill pro-Palestinian speech on campus.

See Full Page