Florida Orders Universities to Disband Pro-Palestinian Group SJP for Alleged Hamas Support

Florida Governor DeSantis' administration takes unprecedented action amidst allegations of SJP's support for recent violent Hamas attacks, sparking debates about free speech rights and causing protests and walkouts on campuses nationwide.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's administration has ordered state universities to disband the pro-Palestinian student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), over allegations of supporting Hamas, which is recognized as a terrorist group. This move is rare and has caused debates about free speech rights and triggered protests and walkouts on campuses nationwide.
The action by the Florida administration comes in the wake of recent violent Hamas attacks on Israel, leading to the death of over 1,400 people. The administration alleges that SJP's activities have amounted to endorsing and providing material support to Hamas.
Last week, dozens of US national Jewish groups, campus organizations and state legislators, signed a letter demanding universities withdraw their schools’ recognition of and funding for SJP. Their activities, as reported by the Anti-Defamation League, included lauding the attacks as a historical win and promoting violent and incendiary social media statements.
SJP has been active on US campuses for decades, leading protests calling for the liberation of Palestine and boycotts against Israel as part of the broader BDS movement. The loosely connected network claims to have more than 200 chapters across various US states.
This move by the DeSantis administration has been criticized by various advocacy groups as an attempt to suppress free speech on campuses. Several groups have pointed to a larger pattern of DeSantis limiting discussions on race and social justice issues in educational institutions.