A disabled veteran who counter-protested an anti-Israel demonstration at Rutgers Law School has been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. George Maravelias alleges the university has a "leadership reckoning" to perform, as its policies and actions have violated his right to free speech and created a hostile environment for students who support Israel.
Yiorgos "George" Maravelias, a disabled veteran and Rutgers Law School graduate, has come forward to share his harrowing experience of being arrested on campus for hanging anti-Hamas flyers. This incident has raised concerns about the abuse of power and suppression of free speech within the university's administration.
Disabled Veteran Faces Injustice at Rutgers: Arrested for Exercising First Amendment Rights
Maravelias, who served as a United States Army First Lieutenant and deployed to Afghanistan, has a deep-seated belief that Hamas, a terrorist organization responsible for rocket attacks against Israeli civilians, should not be glorified or excused. In October 2023, he witnessed pro-Palestinian activists erecting tables and hanging flyers on campus, criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza.
Inspired by the First Amendment, Maravelias decided to engage in a counter-protest by hanging his own flyers that denounced Hamas as "savages" and labeled October 7th as a terrorist attack. He argues that the same accusations that the anti-Israel demonstrators leveled against Israel were equally applicable to the United States, based on its military actions in the Middle East.
Disabled Veteran Faces Injustice at Rutgers: Arrested for Exercising First Amendment Rights
However, his peaceful speech was met with hostility from a woman identified as Sahar Aziz, a distinguished professor of law and Chancellor's Social Justice Scholar. Aziz is accused of tearing down Maravelias' posters and escorting him to the office of Dean Cate Lysionek, claiming that he violated a university policy against posting flyers on bare walls.
Maravelias maintains that no such policy existed, and Aziz was informed of this by Lysionek. Despite this, he was instructed to report the incident to Dean Johanna Bond and Dean Sarah K. Regina, who allegedly refused to repudiate Aziz's actions and declined to meet with Maravelias to address his concerns.
Disabled Veteran Faces Injustice at Rutgers: Arrested for Exercising First Amendment Rights
In May, Maravelias participated in another counter-protest against a pro-Palestinian encampment on Rutgers' Newark campus. The encampment displayed signs with slogans like "From the river to the sea" and "Globalize the Intifada," along with a list of demands, one of which prohibited military recruiters from setting foot on Rutgers campuses.
Maravelias found these demands offensive and decided to counter-protest with flyers critical of Hamas and tied together small Israeli and American flags. Once again, his speech was met with hostility and his flyers were torn down. When campus security instructed him to file a complaint with the police, he was told nothing could be done.
Disabled Veteran Faces Injustice at Rutgers: Arrested for Exercising First Amendment Rights
Determined to stand up for his right to free speech, Maravelias returned to the encampment the next day and posted his flyers in the same area where the pro-Palestinian activists had placed their signs. He was immediately surrounded by Rutgers University police officers who attempted to coerce him into leaving and confiscate his flyers, claiming his speech was "inflammatory."
When Maravelias refused, he was arrested, detained at the police station, fingerprinted, and photographed. He remained in custody for several hours before being released. Charges filed against him for a petty disorderly persons offense were later dismissed, but the university filed student conduct administrative charges against him, which he is still fighting to expunge.
Disabled Veteran Faces Injustice at Rutgers: Arrested for Exercising First Amendment Rights
Maravelias' lawyer, Christopher D'Alessandro, a fellow veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, expressed deep disappointment in Rutgers' handling of the situation. He believes the university has violated Maravelias' First Amendment rights and created a climate of fear and intimidation for students who support Israel. He also alleges that Rutgers negotiated with the pro-Hamas encampment and allowed its residents to act with impunity, while treating Maravelias' counter-protest with excessive force.
Maravelias and D'Alessandro have requested Body Worn Camera footage of the arrest but are facing an $804 fee from Rutgers. They also claim that Rutgers has refused to produce CCTV surveillance footage, citing campus security concerns. Maravelias' ability to pursue his legal career has been hindered by the ongoing legal battle and the university's reluctance to resolve the matter out of court.
Disabled Veteran Faces Injustice at Rutgers: Arrested for Exercising First Amendment Rights
Maravelias' story highlights the growing trend of universities suppressing free speech and silencing dissenting voices, particularly those that support Israel. It is a reminder that the First Amendment is a fundamental right that must be protected and defended, even when it makes us uncomfortable. The Rutgers community and the nation at large must stand up for the rights of all students and ensure that universities remain places where open dialogue and respectful debate can flourish.
