Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is cracking down on pro-Hamas student groups. On Tuesday, DeSantis’s administration directed Florida universities to deactivate student chapters that express support of Hamas’s terror attacks.
National Students for Justice in Palestine chapters nationwide have authored pro-Hamas letters following the terrorist group’s brutal surprise attack on Israel, which killed 1,400 Israelis including 31 Americans. Resources published by the National SJP, said Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System of Florida, participate in what Florida law designates as a felony: “to knowingly provide material support . . . to a designated foreign terrorist organization.”
“These chapters exist under the headship of the National Students for Justice in Palestine, who distributed a toolkit identifying themselves as part of the Operation AlAqsa Flood,” Rodrigues said in a letter. “Based on the National SJP’s support of terrorism, in consultation with Governor DeSantis, the student chapters must be deactivated. These two student chapters may form another organization that complies with Florida state statutes and university policies. The two institutions should grant these two chapters a waiver for the fall deadlines, should reapplication take place.”
Since Hamas invaded on October 7, university clubs have organized “martyr” vigils to memorialize Palestinian lives while Students for Justice in Palestine has orchestrated protests and rallies on campuses to justify Hamas violence. Pro-Hamas students began to recant statements following public backlash for their pro-terrorist statements; some highbrow law firms even rescinded offers of employment for law students who announced their support of Hamas.
“During a holy Jewish holiday, the recognized terrorist organization, Hamas, launched an unprovoked attack on Israel — among those killed were babies, women, and elderly,” Rodrigues said. “To date, approximately 1,400 Israelis have been killed, including 31 American citizens. Governor DeSantis, our State University System and the Florida College System have condemned these attacks.”
The governor’s staunch pro-Israel stance has fueled many recent state initiatives. Florida evacuated hundreds of U.S. citizens from Israel last week on the first chartered flight back to the United States.
“I am proud of how quickly we have been able to activate resources and do what the federal government could not — get Floridians and other Americans back home, reunited with their families, free of charge,” DeSantis said in a statement.
DeSantis also plans to increase state sanctions on Iran, a financial supporter of Hamas, and if elected president, DeSantis said he would cancel visas for students who celebrate Hamas.