The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called an interfaith vigil hosted Monday evening by students at the University of Maryland an important victory for free speech amid increasing efforts to censor advocacy for Palestinian human rights.
The event, attended by hundreds, was organized with three days’ notice following the court’s ruling. It included kite flying, speeches and poetry recitations. Students offered salat al-gha’ib (funeral prayer in absentia) on the campus lawn for the tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians who have been killed over the past year.
Judge Clears Way for Oct. 7 Vigil
“The poignant and solemn student-led event was an important victory for free speech and the freedom to engage in advocacy for Palestinian human rights on college campuses at a time when this right is being increasingly challenged,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, who attended the vigil. “The victory to hold the vigil is not just about one event; it symbolizes a collective resilience and solidarity of a generation that is leading the charge for transparency, accountability and the demand for a free Palestine in Maryland and across the country. They embody the hope for a future where freedom and dignity will prevail, God-willing in our lifetime.”
The ruling came amid a reported trend of universities across the country implementing tougher rules to restrict protests in order to avoid a repeat of last spring’s historic student encampments that led to thousands of arrests on campuses across the country.
On September 17, CAIR and Palestine Legal sued the University of Maryland for revoking permission it gave UMD SJP to hold the event and subsequently banning all non-university hosted expressive activities on October 7. The University of Maryland’s censorship came after it was heavily lobbied by pro-Israel groups and individuals to bar UMD SJP’s vigil, in violation of the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
In the ruling, the court found that the university could not bow to racist threats from pro-Israel individuals by shutting down UMD SJP’s event on October 7.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
END
CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com