Florida university system sued over effort to disband pro-Palestinian student group

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s university system was sued Thursday over its effort to silence a chapter of a pro-Palestinian student group, with a free speech group arguing that the state is violating the First Amendment rights of an organization that’s promoting peace.

State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues last month ordered schools to disband chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine, saying the national organization supports terrorism after Hamas fighters attacked Israeli citizens on Oct. 7. Rodrigues has since backed off the order while consulting lawyers to see how the state can proceed and whether it can force the groups to pledge to reject violence and Hamas and to follow the law.