Anti-Israel student group sues University of Michigan for free speech violations
An anti-Israel student group has sued the University of Michigan for discriminating against its campus activism.
On Friday, the Students Allied For Freedom and Equality (SAFE) filed a lawsuit against Michigan administrators over alleged constitutional rights violations.
An anti-Israel student group has sued the University of Michigan for discriminating against its campus activism.
On Friday, the Students Allied For Freedom and Equality (SAFE) filed a lawsuit against Michigan administrators over alleged constitutional rights violations.
”The Defendants acted against the Plaintiffs because of their advocacy for the human rights of Palestinians and for their calls for the University of Michigan to divest from Israel to help stop the genocide against the Palestinian people,” the lawsuit states. “But for their viewpoint on this issue, Plaintiffs would not have had their Free Speech / Petition / Assembly, Due Process, and Equal Protection rights violated.”
”This lawsuit arises from Defendants’ violations of free speech, due process, and equal protection rights resulting from retaliation and discrimination against students based on the content of their speech and based on students’ viewpoint on issues of significant interest to the university community1 and to the public at large,” the document reads.
“In the last 400 days of relentless genocide, we have witnessed massacre after massacre – and in response, globally, the people have united in support of the struggle for Palestinian liberation. SAFE is one small part of this international mass movement, but is nowhere near the entire movement demanding divestment,” the student group said in a press release. “As long as the struggle continues in Gaza, it will continue globally, on our campus, and in our streets.”
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SAFE is a “Palestinian solidarity organization” and the university’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, according to Michigan’s website.
”Though SAFE’s mission is not limited to any single issue, our foremost objective is to promote the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people and advocate for justice for Palestinians on campus and globally,” the group writes. “SAFE seeks to engage with University administration, other student groups, and responsible community organizations in our collective attempt to contribute to advancing Palestinian liberation and freedom.”