The University of Maryland is now facing a lawsuit after unilaterally canceling all student expressive activities planned for October 7. The move came after the university received "numerous calls" expressing outrage over events organized by campus pro-Palestine groups to mark the anniversary of Hamas' massacre of more than 1,000 Israeli civilians last year.
"Given the overwhelming outreach, from multiple perspectives, I requested a routine and targeted safety assessment for this day to understand the risks and safety measures associated with planned events," University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines wrote in a statement earlier this month. While Pines noted that there was "no immediate or active threat," he still decided to "host only university-sponsored events that promote reflection on this day," with all other "expressive events" canceled.
