The University of Florida College Republicans (UFCR) chapter filed a lawsuit against the university on Monday, alleging a violation of First Amendment rights. 

The lawsuit comes after UF announced on Saturday, March 14, via X that it was “in the process of deactivating” the UFCR “as a registered student organization” following reports of antisemitic behavior. 

In the social media post, UF said the Florida Federation of College Republicans (FFCR) informed the school that it has “disbanded” the local CR chapter based on its “findings that some Local CR members engaged in a pattern of conduct that violated its rules and values, including a recent antisemitic gesture.” 

UF did not say what the gesture was in its statement; However, a photo circulating on X by North Carolina-based journalist Sloan Rachmuth appears to show two people, including the UF College Republicans (UFCR) secretary, performing a Nazi salute.  

In its post, UF said the FFCR requested that the UFCR be deactivated as a registered student organization “while it looks to reorganize and pursue reinstatement under new student leadership.”  

“The University of Florida has emphatically supported its Jewish community and remains committed to preventing and addressing antisemitism and other forms of discrimination and harassment that are threatening and disruptive to our students and to the teaching, research and expressive activities of the campus community,” the post said. “The university also supports the rights of organizations, such as the FFCR, to take decisive action in addressing conduct that is antithetical to its principles. 

“In compliance with its [FFCR’s] policies, the University of Florida is in the process of deactivating the Local CR as a registered student organization. When the FFCR is ready, the university will also assist it with reactivating the Local CR under new student leadership.” 

The news of UFCR’s deactivation came just days after the group hosted James Fishback, a Republican candidate for Florida governor, on campus for “the largest candidate event at UF in nearly 10 years,” according to a UFCR post on X.  

In the same post, the UFCR said it is not affiliated with the FFCR but rather the College Republicans of America. 

“They [UF] cited the FFCR, an organization that we are not a part of that has no authority over our chapter,” the UFCR post said. “We are proud members of a different organization, @uscollegegop [College Republicans of America].” 

The UFCR post states that the group has hired an attorney, “and have received information that this is not the first time that FFCR has lied to silence christian conservative groups on campus.” 

FFCR had not responded to Mainstreet’s request for comment regarding its affiliation with the UFCR by the publication of this article. A request to UFCR for documentation showing its affiliation with College Republicans of America and when its membership began had also not been answered as of publication. 

 Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.