The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) said the CUNY Board of Trustees and Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez failed to defend the free speech rights of Palestinian activist Fatima Mousa Mohammed, and instead caved into pressure from Jewish activists and backers of Israel.

“CAIR-NY strongly condemns the City University of New York (CUNY) for joining dishonest, cowardly, and dangerous attacks on their own student leader, Fatima Mohammed, who has been relentlessly harassed by far-right media, Mayor Eric Adams, and multiple members of Congress and City Council. As an institution of higher education, CUNY has a responsibility to protect its students, even in the face of disagreement or discomfort, and its failure to do so is unacceptable,” CAIR-NY said in a statement.  

“Fatima’s speech was submitted, examined, and pre-approved by CUNY in written form and a verbal recording. Furthermore, the speech was celebrated by the audience. CUNY student leaders, including the Jewish Law Students Association, have spoken up in her defense. Moreover, CUNY’s mischaracterization of Fatima’s speech as `hate speech’ is false and defamatory.”

The statement said free speech is a “fundamental pillar” of democratic and called it “alarming” that CUNY is “willing to cowardly yield to pressure from those who seek to silence dissenting voices.”  

CAIR-NY complained that Mohammed has been the subject of cyberbullying and death threats.

“CAIR-NY stands in solidarity with Fatima and all students targeted for daring to support justice for all. They will not be silenced, and we plan to continue to fight for the right to free speech and a just society. CUNY must take responsibility for its actions and do better, and we must hold them accountable until they do,” the group said.  

“We urge CUNY to live by its stated values and stop cowering to anti-Palestinian pressure.”

Source: NY Post