COLLEGE PARK, Md. — A Federal judge is allowing the group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) to hold an on campus event at University of Maryland College Park on October 7.
The date marks one-year since 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 others were taken hostage at the hands of Hamas near Gaza.
University officials initially barred all unsponsored events that day for safety reasons.
Students for Justice in Palestine sued, alleging freedom of speech violations.
They planned to use October 7 as a day of remembrance for 40,000 Palestinians killed in what they consider to be Israeli "genocidal campaign."
While District Court Judge Peter J. Messitte agreed the university's concerns were reasonable, he ultimately sided with the student group, granting their request to protest at McKeldin Mall.
"SJP has picked a particularly controversial date to hold an event to commemorate Gaza War dead, to decry what it terms Israeli “genocide,” and to promote multiple aspects of Palestinian life and culture," wrote Messitte. "But this is a matter of law, not of wounded feelings."
Before going forward, however, Messitte ordered the group to post a $2,500 security bond should things turn violent like at other campuses around the nation.
"There is no suggestion, in SJP’s reservation form at least, that any space other than the commonly used McKeldin Mall will be occupied on October 7 or that Jewish students will be threatened or harassed or otherwise impeded from attending classes, or that any buildings will be occupied, an encampment established, or property destruction contemplated," Messitte reasoned.
According to court documents, SJP claims only 25 to 50 students plan on attending their event.
University of Maryland responded to the ruling stating, "In compliance with the court’s decision, we will now move forward with the events, addressing those concerns and challenges with care and caution, including the implementation of a robust safety plan. This includes enhanced staffing and resources with a strong security presence."
SJP took to Instagram celebrating the court's decision.
"Today, Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Maryland has achieved a historic victory for the student movement for justice and liberation by compelling Maryland’s flagship university to cease violations of our First Amendment rights and respect students’ freedom of speech."
Despite their losing efforts, the UMD Jewish Student Union responded by commending the school administration's "commitment to prioritizing safety above all else."
They also took a shot at what they say is SJP's attempt to "hijack [October 7] to further their false and dangerous narrative."
Although SJP was successful in reinstating their College Park protest, they failed to convince Messitte to block the University of Maryland System from banning October 7 events on all other campuses.
"Nothing in this Opinion or in the Preliminary Injunction that accompanies it, however, is intended to preclude the University from banning expressive activity in the Maryland system outside the College Park campus on this upcoming October 7," Messitte wrote. "That matter, however, may be revisited in the future course of these proceedings"
