Jewish Florida lawmaker demands use of new laws after pro-Hamas campus protests

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Jewish Florida lawmaker Rep. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, called for the use of new laws as protests supporting Hamas’ actions on Israel take place at Florida colleges and universities.

“I am done passing bills. It is time to start using them,” Fine said in his letter Friday.

Fine and Rep. Mike Caruso, R-Delray Beach, carried a bill that would increase penalties for intimidating or threatening someone based on religious or ethnic heritage. The lawmakers joined the governor in Israel for the bill signing in April.

The Melbourne Beach lawmaker also worked to pass HB 741 in 2019, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion in the public school system. It requires institutions treat discrimination motivated by anti-Semitic intent “in an identical manner to discrimination motivated by race.”

On our University campuses, one group, SJP, has stated that the deaths were a “historic win.” They used signs showing an image of the armed paraglider that killed 260 young people at a music festival ironically in support of peace. They stated that killing Jewish babies “is legitimate and necessary.” They called for Israel to wiped off the map.

Rep. Randy Fine’s letter.

Protests surrounding the Israeli war against Hamas have taken place at Florida universities and colleges across the state.

Florida’s Voice reported on Florida State University’s Students for a Democratic Society protest Wednesday where its leader said Hamas’ actions were a “justified response.”

The group had previously posted on social media that they celebrate “Palestinian resistance” against “Israeli occupation, aggression, and genocide.”

“Any student organization that has attempted to ‘justify the killing of Jews’ which is chartered by any state college or university, must be expelled immediately, and any public funds be cut off,” Fine’s letter read.

“Any student participating in the rallies of these organizations must be treated like a student screaming the n-word and calling for Black students to be lynched. They would be expelled,” the letter continued.

In response to Fine’s letter, a spokesperson for the governor’s office agreed that the laws “must be enforced” by universities.

He said university officials “must step up and protect Jewish students from threats of violence and intimidation,” noting that the governor “expects nothing less” than the full enforcement of Florida laws.

“That is why, under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, FDLE, FHP, the Attorney General, DOE, and the Board of Governors sent the attached memos reminding universities, colleges, and law enforcement throughout the state that they have a responsibility to protect the Jewish community from threats and unlawful harassment,” governor press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, said in a statement.

He noted that Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, along with other state agency leaders, held a call with law enforcement officials and religious leaders to “remind them of the new laws championed by Representative Fine.”

Redfern linked to an article of three individuals who were arrested during a “Protest for Palestine” march at Florida Atlantic University. He also pointed to a FDLE arrest of neo-Nazis for hanging antisemetic banners in Orlando in September.

“As noted in Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order, Florida has been surging law enforcement upon request to prevent violence at demonstrations and protect the Jewish population in their schools and places of worship,” Redfern said.

“Continuing his commitment, the governor directed FDEM to charter flights to send supplies to Israel and bring home any Floridians who cannot do so,” the press secretary continued.

Fine’s letter had called for faculty members who have “propagated, excused, or encouraged this genocide” to be fired.

“We would never accept racists on campus; we cannot accept Nazis. It is time to deliver on the promise we made in 2019. We cannot discriminate in how we deal with discrimination,” Fine declared. “Jews deserve our protection too.”

His letter ended with “In memory of those who died.”

Several university and college presidents were copied onto the letter sent to the governor. Florida’s Voice reached out to the governor’s office for a response.