Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said that “hate speech” from pro-Palestine protesters will not be “tolerated” in the Sooner State and he would expel those who stand with Hamas from his state’s colleges.
Stitt was asked if it bothered him that so many pro-Palestine protesters were arrested at universities around the country and that so many of them are critical of Israel and its military operation in Gaza, which started following Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack that killed around 1,200 Israelis.
“Number one, I don’t think it’s the majority, I think it’s a very small minority that are super vocal,” Stitt told Fox News’ Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade during his appearance on the network Monday morning.
The Oklahoma governor said he hopes every young person would be able to watch the footage of the Oct.7 terrorist attacks.
“They need to be held accountable,” he said. “I wish every young person could watch the video of the GoPro cameras on October 7. These people with machine guns that literally there was a concert going on for young people and they came in and just started mowing them down.”
“That’s not right, and I mean who are these people that are saying that they encourage that or they stand with Hamas? Man, I would kick ’em out of universities. This is unbelievable. This is hate speech. The Jewish community, just everybody that’s for right and wrong should be absolutely opposed to this.”
Universities around the country have had to grapple with pro-Palestinian protests on their campuses, with students at some schools setting up encampments. Students are calling for the halt of military aid for Israel and a cease-fire in Gaza.
Following his Monday morning appearance on Fox News, Stitt reiterated his point about “hate speech.”
“If you’re standing with these terrorist groups — it’s time to get your head examined,” Stitt said in a post on social media platform X. “We’re all about free speech in Oklahoma. But hate speech isn’t going to be tolerated.”
In 2022, Stitt signed a bill creating the “Oklahoma Free Speech Committee,” which would monitor free speech at the state’s higher education institutions.