Florida Republican student group sues university after suspension over Nazi salute post

Source: The Guardian

A dispute among student Republican groups in Florida over alleged antisemitic behavior is heading for a courtroom after a chapter at the state’s flagship university was suspended for an online post featuring two people giving Nazi salutes.

On Saturday, University of Florida (UF) blocked campus operations of the school’s College Republicans after the group’s state leadership said it had disbanded the chapter for engaging in “a pattern of conduct that violated its rules and values, including a recent antisemitic gesture”.

The chapter responded Monday by filing a free speech lawsuit against UF leadership, arguing that the action violated the constitutional first amendment rights of a member engaging in an off-campus activity.

In an X post, the chapter also suggested its suspension was tied to its hosting of an event with James Fishback, a controversial far-right candidate for Florida governor who has angered more moderate Republicans with his extremist views.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/17/university-of-florida-republican-lawsuit-nazi-post