The University of Florida is facing threats of a lawsuit for disbanding a Republican student group after one of its leaders was photographed doing the Nazi salute.
GOP Lake County commissioner and attorney Anthony Sabatini called the move to dissolve the Florida Federation of College Republicans chapter at UF “completely illegal” and a free speech violation.
“This is completely illegal—I spoke with UFCR leadership & I will be filing a First Amendment retaliation lawsuit under Section 1983 Monday morning against UF seeking an injunction,” he wrote on X.
“UF has engaged in enormous viewpoint discrimination over the past year & it must be stopped NOW.”
The university temporarily removed the College Republicans chapter as a student organization after the Florida Federation of College Republicans flagged multiple misconduct allegations, including one about “a recent antisemitic gesture” made by a member.
North Carolina–based journalist Sloan Rachmuth was the first to share a photo of two students performing the Sieg Heil, which was sent to a since-shuttered gaming chatroom.
The chapter’s disbandment sparked a rift among conservative Floridians as some, like Sen. Rick Scott, praised UF’s action.
“Antisemitism has no place in the Republican Party, higher education or our country. Grateful to UF for working with the FFCR to stand with Jewish students and resolve this quickly,” Scott, the former governor of Florida, wrote on X.
UF’s College Republicans group (UFCR) claimed they operate under the College Republicans of America, not the FFCR, which originally reported the student organization.
The CRA and the UFCR both accused FFCR of lying in order to get the club disbanded.
UF said that the chapter will eventually be permitted to restart with new student leadership.
The university has the highest percentage of Jewish students out of any public college in the country.
The UFCR disbandment came just three days after the club welcomed controversial gubernatorial candidate James Fishback to campus.
On Saturday, Fishback swore to file an amicus brief in support of the UFCR and every student group’s right to free speech in response to the chapter’s removal, according to a post on X.
