The University of Maryland Students for Justice in Palestine chapter filed a federal lawsuit on Sept. 17 alleging a violation of its First Amendment rights by the university over the revocation of a permit for an interfaith vigil the group planned to host on the campus green, Mckeldin Mall, on Oct. 7.
The group’s permit was initially granted on July 31, according to the lawsuit, and was revoked on Sept. 1 after pressure from community members and unspecified concerns over campus safety.
UMD-SJP said the vigil was intended to honor the lives of the Palestinians killed since Oct. 7 and provide education on Palestinian history, art, and culture and bring student speakers who had lost family members in Gaza.
UMD President Darryll Pines said in a written statement to the community that the decision was made from an abundance of caution and that only “university-sponsored events that promote reflection” would be permitted on Oct. 7.
The University System of Maryland, which governs public universities in the state also announced on Sept. 1 that only university sponsored activities would take place on Oct. 7.
The lawsuit claims that the university and university system do not have the authority to establish “free expression-black-out days,” even if the occasion might be “politically or emotionally polarizing.”
The group claims that Pines is taking this action over “imagined problems” as his letter states that a campus safety audit found no evidence of any threats to campus.
“By revoking UMD-SJP’s permission to host their vigil, which they planned to co-host with Jewish Voice for Peace at the University of Maryland (another recognized student group), the Government censors speech—based on viewpoint, on content, and the identity of the speaker—on a matter of vital public discourse and concern. It has no legally adequate reason to do so,” the lawsuit states.
The group states that it was told about the cancellation of their event in a meeting with Pines and Vice President of Student Affairs Patricia Perillo on Sept. 1 but were never told that their planned event had violated any university policies.
The lawsuit requests that the court “issue preliminary and permanent injunctive relief” preventing the university from stopping the event, declare Pines’ expressive content ban unconstitutional, and award the group compensation for legal costs and damages for the alleged violation of its rights.
The university has declined to comment on the issue due to the pending litigation.
