The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR‑NJ), along with a diverse coalition of civil rights advocates, including faith and minority rights-focused groups, today rallied in opposition to the new draft of Assembly Bill A3558, which seeks to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into state law thereby chilling free speech about Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Nearly 150 advocates gathered Monday morning at the New Jersey State House to protest the bill that would effectively silence advocacy and activism for Palestinian human rights by falsely conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
READ MORE: New Jersey bills applying IHRA antisemitism definition could stifle free speech
Although the committee vote on A3558 was postponed at the Monday morning hearing, lawmakers introduced a revised draft that again contains the IHRA definition of antisemitism but drops the $100,000 allocation of state funding. The committee listened to extensive testimony in opposition to the bill from advocacy groups and community members.
MEDIA GALLERY CREDIT: Rabea Ali/Palestinian American Community Center
In a statement following Monday’s demonstration and hearing, CAIR‑New Jersey Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:
“Including the IHRA definition in any form is a direct threat to free speech in New Jersey. We must protect our right to dissent, protest and advocate—without fear of retaliation.
“Today’s turnout of nearly 150 New Jersey residents proved that our democracy cannot be weaponized against political expression. We will not allow lawmakers to silence valid criticism of Israel by labeling it hate.
“We will continue to speak out against legislation that attempt to strip one of our most fundamental rights as Americans. We call on our elected officials to show their commitment to democracy and our constitutional rights through action by voting against this egregious bill.”
In response, CAIR‑NJ spearheaded a letter signed by a diverse coalition of more than two dozen organizations—including Make The Road New Jersey, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, Faith in New Jersey, American Muslims for Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestinian American Community Center, Black Lives Matter Paterson, among others—calling on lawmakers to reject the bill.
The letter, in part, states:
“While we strongly condemn antisemitism and support efforts to combat it, we oppose the codification of the IHRA definition into law because it encompasses constitutionally protected speech and risks chilling academic freedom and public debate.
“The IHRA definition includes examples that conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. This broad definition could be used to investigate, censor or punish protected speech, including:
- Criticism of Israeli government policies
- Advocacy for Palestinian rights
- Academic discussions about Israel and Palestine
- Political expression and protest activities
“Courts have consistently held that the First Amendment protects speech critical of any nation, including Israel. Government actions that chill protected speech violate the Constitution, even if they do not directly prohibit speech.”
The letter also notes that Kenneth Stern, the lead author of the IHRA definition, has himself opposed the application of this definition to campus speech, noting that codifying this definition would lead campus administrators to “fear lawsuits when outside groups complain about anti-Israel expression, and the University doesn’t punish, stop or denounce it.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Aya Elamroussi, aelamroussi@cair.com, 551-208-5482