University of Maryland Sued for Canceling Student ‘Expressive Activity’ on October 7
The University of Maryland is now facing a lawsuit after unilaterally canceling all student expressive activities planned for October 7. The move came after the university received “numerous calls” expressing outrage over events organized by campus pro-Palestine groups to mark the anniversary of Hamas’ massacre of more than 1,000 Israeli civilians last year.
“Given the overwhelming outreach, from multiple perspectives, I requested a routine and targeted safety assessment for this day to understand the risks and safety measures associated with planned events,” University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines wrote in a statement earlier this month. While Pines noted that there was “no immediate or active threat,” he still decided to “host only university-sponsored events that promote reflection on this day,” with all other “expressive events” canceled.
But Pines’ decision hardly had the effect of suppressing dissent. Less than two weeks after his announcement, the University of Maryland Students for Justice in Palestine (UMD-SJP) chapter filed a lawsuit against the university, arguing that Pines’ cancellation of all student expressive activities on October 7 would be an obvious violation of their First Amendment rights.
“On one day next month, no student-selected speakers will be allowed to present at any of the [University System of Maryland] campuses, serving more than 150,000 students—a prior restraint so sweeping only a cataclysm could justify it,” the lawsuit reads. “The First Amendment does not allow campus officials to establish free expression-black-out days, even on occasions that may be emotional or politically polarizing.”
According to the suit, UMD-SJP had sought to make a reservation in July to use a university green space to
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