In a Monday statement following the removal of the rocks, the university affirmed the importance of free speech and said the recent paintings related to the Middle East conflict strayed too far from the original purpose of the public message board.

“The spirit rocks were not intended to be a display for extended political discourse, and because painted messages have been negatively impacting people on and off campus, our best solution was to remove them,” read the statement.

The following day, Benson responded to the resolution, acknowledging the pain felt on both sides of the conflict and asked the campus to “rededicate ourselves to presuming good faith on the part of others and to listen with kindness and empathy.”

Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices at Texas’ public universities, which they argued limited free speech on college campuses.

And the rocks — caked in years of paint, which serves as a special place for student groups of color and the LGBTQ+ community to share their message — are no longer part of campus life.

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