Burlington council unanimously adopts free-speech resolution amid public outcry over student arrests

BURLINGTON — The Burlington City Council unanimously adopted a resolution on April 28 affirming the city’s support for First Amendment rights and condemning the use of federal immigration and law-enforcement authority to detain students and community members for political speech. The resolution specifically names three students — Mohsen Madawi, Ramesa Ozturk and Mahmoud Khalil — and calls on colleges and universities to refuse cooperation with federal immigration and law-enforcement authorities when asked to persecute students for protected speech.

Why it matters: Dozens of residents filled public forum to press the council to act after a series of arrests and detentions across the country and locally that speakers said targeted Palestine solidarity activists and student dissenters. Supporters of the resolution said local governments and institutions must reaffirm constitutional protections at a time when federal action, they argued, has chilled campus dissent and immigrant communities.

Public testimony: Speakers representing students, faculty, and community groups emphasized the local impact of federal arrests. Student and community speakers recounted arrests and detentions they said were linked to pro‑Palestine activism and urged councilors to send a clear message defending dissent. "This resolution is about protecting free speech," said Jackson Francis, a University of Vermont student, describing the recent detentions as targeting speech about Palestine. Several speakers named Ramesa Ozturk and Mohsen Madawi and told the council the arrests had left students fearing for their safety.

Council action: Councilor Bergman moved to waive reading and adopt the resolution; councilor Broderick seconded. In debate, councilors described the vote as an affirmation of constitutional rights rather than endorsement of any particular viewpoint. Councilor Bergman said the measure was an act of “solidarity” with people whose speech and safety she said were threatened. The council then voted to adopt the resolution; the motion carried unanimously.

What the resolution asks: The measure affirms the council’s support for free speech, press and dissent; calls on local colleges and universities to refuse unlawful cooperation with federal immigration and law-enforcement actions against students and faculty; and urges other jurisdictions and institutions to resist efforts that would criminalize political speech.

What it does not do: The resolution is a local statement of principle and does not change municipal law or local enforcement policy. It does not create an enforcement mechanism against federal authorities, nor does it direct city departments to refuse lawful process; instead the text urges colleges and universities to exercise discretion in refusing unlawful cooperation and calls for solidarity measures.

Context: Testimony at the meeting tied local campus tensions and prior decisions — including prior council refusals to place an "apartheid-free community" pledge on the ballot — to broader national debates around speech and campus dissent. Counselors who supported the resolution emphasized that supporting free speech does not require agreement with the content of that speech — a point the resolution records explicitly.

Next steps: The council’s adoption will be distributed to institutions and lawmakers named in the resolution; sponsors said they expect the resolution to be sent to area college and university administrations and to state and federal offices as an expression of the city’s position.