Oct. 25 (UPI) — Florida’s university system directed all public universities in the state to disband chapters of the pro-Palestinian student group National Students for Justice in Palestine on Wednesday, saying the group supports terrorism.
State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues said two Florida chapters of the group, at the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, “must be deactivated.” Gov. Ron DeSantis directed the universities to remove the groups immediately.
The move comes more than two weeks after Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel, and Israel declared war. The letter to the state’s 12 university presidents says it is a felony in Florida to “knowingly provide material support … to a designated foreign terrorist organization.” The United States declared Hamas a terrorist organization.
Rodrigues said the UF and USF student chapters can “form another organization that complies with Florida state statutes and university policies. The two institutions should grant these two chapters a waiver for the fall deadlines, should reapplication take place.”
Rodrigues said the group distributed a “toolkit” document that outlines tips and advice for student chapters planning to hold pro-Palestinian rallies.
“Today, we witness a historic win for the Palestinian resistance: across land, air, and sea, our people have broken down the artificial barriers of the Zionist entity, taking with it the facade of an impenetrable settler colony and reminding each of us that total return and liberation to Palestine is near,” the document reads in part. “As the Palestinian student movement, we have an unshakable responsibility to join the call for mass mobilization.”
