For several weeks, #ConcernedStudent1950 activists were looking for media coverage of their protest at the University of Missouri or #Mizzou.
The protesters called for university president Tim Wolfe to step down. They said he did not respond to months of incidents of racism on campus. The protest and pressure on social media led to the resignation of Tim Wolfe and the chancellor on Monday. Now at #Mizzou, it is #Concerned1950 versus the media. An online debate has started on First Amendment rights.
“The right of the people peaceably to assemble” and “the freedom of the press” are both rights protected in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The activist group has tweeted several requests on social media for the media to respect their privacy. They have set up a campsite in a public space on campus called the Carnahan Quad. But because it is a public space, members of the media also have the right to be there.
