The University of Maryland’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine filed a federal lawsuit against the school after the organization’s approval to hold a vigil on October 7 was revoked, The Baltimore Sun reported.
Palestine Legal and the Council on American-Islamic Relations sued on behalf of the student group in US District Court against the University System of Maryland’s (USM) Board of Regents, the University of Maryland, College Park and UMD President Darryll Pines, according to the report.
The University of Maryland initially permitted the rally to take place on October 7, the first anniversary of the massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel by Hamas, but two weeks ago revoked the permit, following concerns from Jewish groups that such an event could glorify the Hamas murders.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, alleges that the student group’s First Amendment rights were violated after it was no longer allowed to hold the “interfaith vigil”.
“The First Amendment does not allow campus officials to establish free expression-black-out days, even on occasions that may be emotional or politically polarizing,” the lawsuit argues.
Letters had been sent to university officials about SJP’s reservation, which the lawsuit alleges were based on stereotypes about the student group and disagreement with its perceived message. CAIR and the Islamic Maryland Action Network launched an action campaign in response to the letters, sending more than 15,000 letters to the university, said Zainab Chaudry, director of CAIR’s Maryland office.
“The intention behind this campaign was to push back against that pressure and to compel university officials to not pick sides or not engage in viewpoint discrimination by amplifying one side over the other and allowing students who support Palestinian human rights, as well all human rights, to have their say in being able to express themselves and engage in campus activities just as they would if they were championing any other cause,” Chaudry said, according to The Baltimore Sun.
During a September 1 meeting with UMD administrators, SJP was told its October 7 reservation was revoked, and Pines and Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Perillo explained that the university would announce that only university-sponsored events would be allowed on that date, the lawsuit said.
Pines sent a letter to the campus community Sept. 1, announcing that after consulting with the USM, “Jointly, out of an abundance of caution” only university-sponsored events promoting reflection would be hosted.
USM also released a statement Sept. 1, saying universities were doing all they could within the law to protect student safety and their right to free expression. A later clarification said the system is asking campus communities to “encourage activities that support a Day of Dialogue.”
The university pointed to the Sept. 1 letter, declining to comment on the lawsuit, and a spokesperson for USM said the system does not comment on pending litigation.
The lawsuit calls for an injunction allowing SJP to hold its event Oct. 7, declare Pines’ “Expressive Conduct Ban” as unconstitutional and award the student group damages for the violation of First Amendment rights as well as the cost of attorney fees.
SJP’s activities have been suspended by other universities due to their anti-Israel character.
In November of 2023, George Washington University (GWU) temporarily suspended SJP over its anti-Israel messaging on campus. Both SJP and JVP have been suspended by GWU for the fall semester.
Columbia University suspended both SJP and JVP in early November of 2023, citing “repeatedly violated University policies related to holding campus events.”
Previously, Brandeis University announced it is revoking recognition of the campus chapter of SJP, saying the group “openly supports Hamas”.
Florida’s public university system banned SJP in late October following a directive by Governor Ron DeSantis.