Florida orders state universities to disband pro-Palestinian student group, saying it backs Hamas

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON and COLLIN BINKLEY
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s state university system is disbanding chapters of a pro-Palestinian student group it says is violating state law by aligning themselves with Hamas in the wake of an attack on Israeli citizens. The move came Tuesday when state university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues wrote to the state’s university presidents Tuesday directing them to disband the groups. He said SJP has taken the stance that it is part of Hamas and it’s a felony to “knowingly provide material support … to a designated foreign terrorist organization.” The U.S. State Department designated Hamas a terrorist group in 1997. Legal support group Palestine Legal said the ban on SJP is part of a broader effort by DeSantis to suppress freedom of speech on campuses.