Tampa rally denounces DeSantis ban on Students for Justice in Palestine
Tampa, FL – Tampa protesters rallied in a big way on Wednesday, October 25, one day after Ron DeSantis announced his ban on Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapters at Florida universities. Over 200 students and community members rallied at the corner of 56th Street and Fowler Avenue, before marching over a mile to the entrance of the University of South Florida. USF is one of the universities in Florida with an SJP chapter.
The demonstrators chanted, “Hey DeSantis you will see, Palestine will be free!” and “Hey USF you can’t hide, you’re funding genocide” as they marched in front of the university. Members of a variety of student groups were there including SJP and Students for a Democratic Society.
DeSantis’s attacks on SJP are only the latest in a series of political repression on university student groups which includes the case of the Tampa 5 who were arrested and charged with felonies after police attacked a student protest in March.