On Oct. 1 two campus groups, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) won a legal battle in federal court to allow them to hold an interfaith vigil at the University of Maryland on Oct. 7. This interfaith vigil aims to mourn all people killed in Israel and Palestine on the first anniversary of the beginning of the Gaza war, according to the Washington Post.
Over one month ago the local campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine requested a permit to hold its vigil. At first the university granted the request, but later withdrew the permit based on the Sept. 1 announcement by University President Darryll J. Pines that only university-sponsored events that “promote reflection” would be allowed on Oct. 7.
On Sept. 17 the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a lawsuit and issued a news release stating, “The University of Maryland cannot ignore the Constitution to censor Palestinian and Jewish students. It is the job of universities to seek out, not censor, robust debate on pressing social issues.” The lawsuit stated, “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.” The lawsuit had support from many constitutional and civil rights groups including an amicus brief by the ACLU.
