One of the most popular activism tactics on college campuses is the use of a “free speech ball.” This tactic consists of rolling around a giant inflatable beach ball while encouraging students to write on it as a free speech exercise. Unlike a free speech wall, a free speech ball is portable and administrators cannot block students from using it on campus. However, as free speech balls have grown in popularity, more and more leftists are stabbing the inflatable balls to shut down campus speech.
The most recent free speech ball attack took place last week as Young Americans for Liberty students were recruiting new members for the University of California Los Angeles chapter.
“I was talking to other students about getting involved with our group and didn’t see it happen,” YAL California State Chair Tahmineh Dehbozorg said. “I just heard the pop and it scared me because I had no idea what had happened.”
Students filed a report with the UCLA Police Department, but no arrests have been made. The investigation is pending.
Ben Sachrison, YAL Chapter President at UCLA, told Red Alert Politics that “students were coming up to us and… telling us that we should be ashamed of ourselves because… our speech was killing people.”
“His actions make me want to do the event even more and to continue to fight more than ever for free speech because it’s vital for our nation’s success and for people to grow and change,” Sachrison explained. “This will not stop me and my members from continuing to fight for people’s right to express themselves.”
This is not the first time a student has tried to destroy a free speech ball. In October 2017, one beach ball was stabbed at the University of California, San Diego and another one was stabbed at California State University, Fresno.
“This incident in my opinion only serves to highlight how big a problem we have on college campuses when it comes to an understanding of free speech,” said Rahul Daryanani, a member of Bruins College Republicans. “This person decided to act… instead of exercising his First Amendment rights to come have a conversation with us about our disagreements.”
UCLA did not return a request for comment in time for publication.
Kelsey Carroll is a sophomore at Indiana University Purdue University – Fort Wayne studying communications and political science. She serves as a Media Ambassador and Chapter President for Young Americans for Liberty.
