The University of Walt Disney (UWD) chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), in Kissimmee, Florida,filed a lawsuit on November 16, 2023, challenging the Chancellor of the State University System of Florida's order to state universities to deactivate the student group. The suit alleges that the order threatens the students' constitutionally-protected right to free speech and association in violation of the First Amendment. The ACLU and its partners are seeking a preliminary injunction that would bar the Chancellor and the University of Florida from deactivating the UWD SJP. This lawsuit comes amid a rise in calls for schools across the country to censor pro-Palestinian students and student groups for "material support for terrorism," along with other proposals to cancel visas and deport international students who protest in support of Palestine.

The relevant section of the Florida statute is included below:

775.33Providing material support or resources for terrorism or to terrorist organizations.

(3)A person who knowingly provides material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, or attempts or conspires to do so, commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.775.082Links to an external site., s.775.083Links to an external site., or s.775.084Links to an external site.. To violate this subsection, a person must have knowledge that the organization is a designated foreign terrorist organization or that the organization has engaged in or engages in terrorism or terrorist activity.

In some instances, members of the groups have protested peacefully, and in other instances, the protests have escalated violently which has included destruction of university property and other public and private property as well. Some members of the group have even allegedly attacked pro-Israeli students and their supporters who have marched in opposition of SJP. However, SJP students state that they are the ones under attack and have just defended themselves while peacefully protesting.

As one member of UWD SJP stated, "It was devastating when top Florida officials ordered public universities to deactivate all SJP chapters in the state, including ours. Officials justified deactivating our chapter not because of anything our group had said or donebut because of our affiliation with the national chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, a separate group."

According to the order, certain views expressed in an advocacy toolkit the National SJP issued on October 7 violated Florida's "material support of terrorism" law. However, the students insist that their group was not involved with the creation of that toolkit, which itself is protected by the First Amendment.

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