USF’s Students for Justice in Palestine Sue the State University Chancellor and Governor De Santis for Violating Their First Amendment Rights: Seek Injunction Quashing Order to Deactivate Group
(Tampa, FL, 11/21/2023) On Tuesday, November 21, at 1:00 pm the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL), CAIR National Chapter, Roza Tawil of Erchid Law Firm, and Joshua Karsch of Mehri & Skalet, PPLC; representing the University of South Florida chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (USF SJP) will hold a press conference in the CAIR-Florida Tampa office announcing the filing of a complaint challenging an order issued by the Chancellor of the State University System of Florida’s to deactivate the students’ group on campus. The USF Students for Justice in Palestine complaint seeks to protect the pro-Palestine advocacy student group’s First Amendment right to express and advocate their political views. WHAT: USF’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) Sues the University of Florida System & Governor DeSantis for First Amendment Violations When Ordering Their Deactivation
WHEN: Later today, Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: 8076 N 56th St, Tampa, FL 33617
CONTACT:CAIR-FL Executive Director Imam Abdullah Jaber, 813-270-4768; [email protected]; Outreach & Media Director Wilfredo A. Ruiz, 305-502-6749, [email protected]
*Livestream will be held on Instagram @cairflorida*
CAIR-Florida’s #EveryAmericanSafe campaign brings to light not every American is being kept safe by our government. From young Palestinian and Muslim Americans being attacked on campus, to American citizens being trapped, and families being massacred in Gaza. In a statement, CAIR-Florida lead attorney Omar Saleh said: “Let us be real in Florida, student groups who express criticism of Israel’s government are neither antisemitic nor are they terror supporters. We don’t believe the government can legally squelch USF’s SJP for criticisms that are unfavorable to it.” “Governor Desantis is asking young Americans to sacrifice their freedom here in the United States to shield a foreign government from criticism,” said CAIR attorney Gadeir Abbas. “These students are standing up for all of our rights to condemn the atrocities we see with our own eyes.”Attorney Roza Tawil of Erchid Law stated: “The actions by Governor Desantis and the student university system of Florida are a threat to the rights enshrined in our first amendment of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. This is a threat to every American and American values as a whole. This is a despicable attempt on behalf of politicians to silence opinions they disagree with and to foster a homogeneous people by eliminating the “marketplace of ideas” that the Supreme Court has ruled the school environment must be.”
READ: Copy of Complaint SEE RELATED (University of Florida):
1. Florida sued over ban on pro-Palestinian student groups https://www.reuters.com/world/us/florida-sued-over-ban-pro-palestinian-student-groups-2023-11-16/
2. Pro-Palestine student group, ACLU sues University of Florida system, DeSantis https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4314225-sjp-florida-aclu-sues-university-of-florida-system-desantis/
3. DeSantis directive to disband pro-Palestinian student groups met with federal lawsuit https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2023/11/16/desantis-sued-by-university-of-florida-pro-palestinian-student-group/71593956007/
CAIR-Florida’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-Florida es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-FL Executive Director Imam Abdullah Jaber, 813-270-4768; [email protected]; Outreach & Media Director Wilfredo A. Ruiz, 305-502-6749, [email protected]
