USC professor John Strauss is allowed to return to campus as the university continues its investigation into his comments about Hamas during a student protest, according to his lawyer.

Students captured his Nov. 9 remarks on video and the episode went viral on the internet. More than 7,000 people signed an online petition calling for USC to terminate Strauss, while nearly 21,000 signed onto an opposing petition to reinstate the Jewish professor.

The incident and viral uproar that followed became a flash point for the clash between supporters of Israel and Palestinians in American academia. The backlash underscores the challenge universities face across the country as they try to referee altercations over the Israel-Hamas war on campus, raising questions about limitations on free speech and efforts to provide a safe environment.