The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Baldwin and Vernon, LLC, and the First Amendment Clinic at Washington University in St. Louis welcome a federal court’s decision advancing a civil rights complaint filed by the University of Missouri’s chapter of the Students for Justice in Palestine (MSJP), alleging that Mizzou Chancellor Mun Y. Choi unconstitutionally excluded MSJP from the University’s 2024 Homecoming Parade.
SEE: JUDGE’S ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS
The court denied the University’s motion to dismiss, holding that Choi is not entitled to qualified immunity because the facts of the complaint reflect that he violated clearly established First Amendment law when he denied MSJP entry into the 2024 Homecoming Parade. The decision comes after CAIR won an injunction permitting MSJP into the 2025 homecoming parade this past October.
“President Choi excluded MSJP and only MSJP from the 2024 parade because he did not want the parade to contain pro-Palestinian speech,” said Gadeir Abbas, National Deputy Litigation Director at CAIR. “This type of censorship constitutes viewpoint discrimination, in clear violation of the First Amendment.”
Eric Vernon, from Baldwin and Vernon, LLC in Independence, Missouri, expressed his appreciation for the court’s “well-reasoned order”, and adds that he is proud to be local co-counsel with these “great lawyers and law students who are dedicating their time and efforts to protecting basic constitutional rights and American values.”
Earlier this year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns, which reveals that Islamophobia remains at record-high levels nationwide. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Litigation Director Gadeir Abbas 720-251-0425, gabbas@cair.com; CAIR National Staff Attorney Ahmad Kaki 202-640-4935, akaki@cair.com, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com