State university system warns against ‘criminal’ antisemitic activities on campuses

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State University System of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues warned universities and colleges about Florida law prohibiting anti-Semitic activities.

The letter dated on Oct. 13 talks about pro-Palestinian demonstrations where students allegedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map and claimed killing Jewish babies is “justified.”

“Let me be clear, if any of these allegations are true, this is criminal activity. It is a violation of the Florida statutes prohibiting anti-Semitic activities,” Rodrigues said in his letter.

“These crimes will not be tolerated. As we have previously discussed, you have been requested to ascertain the facts of what occurred on campus during these demonstrations,” the letter said.

During a pro-Hamas group on Florida State University held by Students for a Democratic Society, the group’s president told Florida’s Voice that he believed Hamas’ actions were “justified.”

Florida statutes call for acts of anti-Semitism to be “immediately investigated.” The letter said university system presidents have been asked to “ascertain the facts” of what has occurred on campuses during the recent demonstrations.

“Calling for the continuing murder of Jews and those of Jewish heritage is no different than discrimination based on race in the eyes of the law,” the letter said.

It noted that the system expects appropriate action to be taken against students or student organizations who are found to have violated respective codes of conduct.

In a Friday 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.

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.”

“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.