VICTORY: The First Circuit just ruled that pro-Palestinian slogans, encampments and criticism of Zionism is protected by the First Amendment -- tossing out a Zionist complaint targeting pro-Palestinian organizing at @MIT!
What the court found: Slogans such as From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, intifada revolution, and calling Israel's actions a genocide -- and more -- do not target Jewish or Israeli students on the basis of their identity...
.. but target Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.
The court also explicitly recognized what we've been saying all along: that criticizing Zionism is protected by the First Amendment and is not harassment, but political speech.
The court also explicitly declined to use the disputed IHRA definition of antisemitism:
What it means for campus protests: Courts can't punish universities for failing to censor or punish campus speech supporting Palestinian liberation, even if other students complain. Private universities should be emboldened to protect, not punish, their students' speech.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.