GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Florida’s ban on pro-Palestinian university groups. The ACLU argues that the ban violates students’ free speech rights as tensions over Israel’s conflict with Hamas continue to roil U.S. campuses. Florida’s university system, backed by Governor Ron DeSantis, recently ordered colleges to shut down chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) following the attack by Hamas on Israel. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the University of Florida’s SJP chapter, seeks a preliminary injunction to a state order blocking SJP from receiving school funds and using campus facilities.

Howard Simon, interim executive director of ACLU of Florida, condemned the state’s actions, stating, “If Florida officials think silencing pro-Palestinian students protects the Jewish community, they’re wrong. This attack on free speech is dangerous.” However, a spokesperson for Governor DeSantis defended the ban, saying, “Groups that claim to be part of a foreign terrorist movement have no place on our university campuses.”

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Florida by the ACLU, ACLU of Florida, and Palestine Legal, cites a Supreme Court decision affirming students’ right to associate and speak out on matters of public concern, while also establishing that federal law does not criminalize “independent political advocacy” as long as it is not done in coordination with, or at the direction of, foreign terrorist groups. Brandeis University, Columbia University, and George Washington University have also taken actions against SJP chapters citing the national organization’s support for the Hamas attack and violation of school policies.

Overall, the ban on pro-Palestinian university groups in Florida has reignited debates about free speech, association, and the impact of international conflicts on U.S. college campuses. The legal battle will likely continue to unfold amidst escalating tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.