Students for Justice in Palestine Launches Lawsuit Against University of Missouri
The lawsuit is backed by CAIR, an organization that has been facing mounting scrutiny over its alleged ties to terrorist organizations and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an organization that has faced congressional scrutiny over alleged ties to terrorist organizations and criticism for controversial educational materials, is backing the University of Missouri's Students for Justice in Palestine chapter in a federal lawsuit against the university.
The case alleges First Amendment violations after officials banned their "Stop the Genocide" banner from the 2024 homecoming parade, with CAIR supporting the student group's legal challenge against what they characterize as systematic viewpoint discrimination by university administrators.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has formally requested an IRS investigation of CAIR for potential violations of its tax-exempt status, citing what he calls "deep ties to terrorist organizations."
Additionally, CAIR's Philadelphia chapter has drawn criticism for offering K-12 school”s "educational resources” that watchdog groups argue promote antisemitic narratives and sanitize terrorism, including sessions on "Jewish Power in America" and guidance instructing teachers to avoid terms like "Islamic terrorists" when discussing September 11th.
CAIR's Legal Challenge Against the University
The lawsuit against the university centers on Chancellor Choi's decision to exclude MSJP from homecoming festivities over their planned banners reading "Ceasefire Now" and "Stop the Genocide." According to CAIR's legal filing, university officials specifically demanded removal of the genocide reference before allowing participation, leading to the group's complete exclusion when they refused to modify their message.
University spokesperson Christopher Ave defended the administration's actions by citing safety concerns related to "significant disturbances" at other campus events involving Students for Justice in Palestine groups nationwide. Ave also referenced "concerning actions of some MSJP members at campus events," including incidents that allegedly resulted in a group leader being banned from campus.
Additional Aspects of CAIR's Involvement
Documentation on the website of Canary Mission shows that Ahmad Kaki, a CAIR staff attorney and one of the lawyers handling the case, previously promoted content from Hamas's official social media accounts, organized anti-Israel rallies, and defended protesters during Gaza border demonstrations that critics characterize as violent.
On the day of Hamas’ October 7th massacre that killed over 1,200 Israelis, Kaki posted on X: "Lots of nonsense on here today. If you haven't said anything about Israel's ongoing settler and state violence in the West Bank and Gaza and are suddenly shocked about this 'unprovoked' escalation, you should, maybe, keep your fingers off the keyboard."
