Florida faces a second lawsuit over its effort to disband pro-Palestinian student groups

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida is facing a second lawsuit over its effort to disband pro-Palestinian student groups. A lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Gainesville claims the state is either ignoring or doesn’t understand First Amendment rights to free speech. The Council on American-Islamic Relations is representing the University of South Florida chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, claiming state university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues’ order to disband the groups because of a statement made by a national group is unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a similar lawsuit last week representing a University of Florida chapter of the student group.