Republican presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaks during the Politics & Eggs program at Saint Anselm College, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, in Manchester, N.H.(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, in a notable move, has instructed the state’s universities to ban the pro-Palestinian student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), from their campuses. The governor’s administration alleges that SJP is supporting Hamas militants who recently attacked Israel. The directive from the state’s university system Chancellor, Ray Rodrigues, came at the governor’s behest, with the assertion that SJP is assisting a “terrorist organization.” It is essential to note that Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department since 1997, with similar designations by the European Union and several Western nations.
DeSantis, who is currently a presidential candidate, has intensified his pro-Israel stance in the wake of the October 7th attacks by Hamas in southern Israel. His actions have included sending aid to Israel and supporting a special legislative session to impose sanctions on Iran, which is known to support Hamas. However, it is crucial to mention that no concrete evidence has been presented thus far linking Iran directly to the attacks.
The move to ban Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) has been met with criticism from groups advocating for free speech, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which considers the directive unconstitutional and potentially perilous to political beliefs. They argue that the government does not possess the legal authority to compel universities to disband SJP chapters.
This ban is part of a broader effort by DeSantis to influence discourse on campuses, including limitations on discussions of race in schools, restrictions on university funding for diversity and inclusion programs, and actions that some critics argue infringe on free speech in academic settings.
SJP, a network with more than 200 chapters across the United States, has played a central role in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls for measures against Israel due to its treatment of Palestinians. However, the national SJP organization has not yet responded to the ban.
In response to this situation, Students for Justice in Palestine and various other groups have called for a national student walkout on college campuses, demanding an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza and U.S. financial support for Israel. These protests were organized on campuses across the country, reflecting the contentious nature of the issue.
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