We are writing to inquire about the cancellation of the Congressional hearing scheduled for May 8, 2024.  This hearing was meant to evaluate Mayor Muriel Bowser’s and Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith’s mismanagement of protest encampments on the Foggy Bottom campus of The George Washington University (“GWU”). This hearing was anticipated by many to shed light on the complexities and challenges faced by local authorities in balancing the rights of protesters with maintaining public order. More than 2,900 people have recently been arrested at pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses across the country.  This issue is pervasive and dangerous on many levels, and therefore demands serious attention.