MSJP plans to march in University of Missouri Homecoming Parade
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine student organization posted on social media Thursday that they will be marching in the University of Missouri Homecoming Parade on Saturday.
MU had denied MSJP the ability to march in the parade, citing “safety concerns,” according to previous ABC 17 reporting. This was the second year the group had been denied.
A court decision from Sept. 19 forced MU to allow the group to participate, according to previous reporting. The federal judge sided with the student group, noting that there was evidence to show MU President Mun Choi violated the group’s freedom of speech.
Shortly after the court’s decision, MSJP resubmitted its application, and the university accepted it, according to Ahmed Kaki, a staff attorney from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
CAIR attorneys represented the student group in court.
The judge allowed MSJP to march in the parade as long as the group followed the parade guidelines.
Kaki said the student group intends to do just that.
“They’re going to wear black and gold, they’re going to exhibit Palestinian culture,” Kaki said. “They’re really excited to do that, especially after being stripped of that last year.”
The parade policy states the event is for celebrating MU and the football team and shouldn’t be used to express political opinions.
The university said there would repercussions if MSJP strays from this.
“MSJP is scheduled to participate with specific conditions to use approved displays,” a spokesperson said in an email. “Deviations can result in disqualification from parade participation and student conduct review and sanctions for individuals and the organization.”
Out of the 149 organizations in the parade, MSJP is the second to last group in the line up.
Nine other groups were denied walking in the parade, according to previous reporting. The university said denials were issued because of safety concerns, failure to support the “Celebrating Black and Gold” theme and for missed deadlines.
Check back for updates.