A federal judge isn’t going to provide an early break to a University of Florida College Republicans chapter, which was deactivated after the school was alerted of a student performing a Nazi salute.
In a case that’s sparked division among Republicans, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker weighed in during an April 21 telephonic hearing, saying that although he agrees it’s wrong to target a student organization based on its viewpoint, that the UF College Republicans have not “met (their) burden.”
“Here, the record the parties presented at the preliminary injunction stage is, at best, muddled,” Walker wrote in his official written denial, although he indicated from the call that he planned to deny the reinstatement requested by the UF student chapter.
This case is one of many across Florida testing the bounds of the First Amendment’s role in public universities. That’s even as Gov. Ron DeSantis has touted both the state and particularly Florida’s flagship university to be a bastion for free speech.
It’s also divided Republicans on whether to support the campus chapter’s rights to controversial and offensive speech –or condemn its member’s acts as antisemitism.
A photo circulated on social media was a screenshot showing two people, one of whom was later identified as a member of the chapter, performing a Nazi salute in a Guilded chatroom. The group chat platform, designed for gaming communities, was shut down in December 2025.
UF argued that the decision stemmed from the university’s mandate to abide by its internal rules and state law. Since the UF College Republicans group was no longer affiliated with the Florida Federation of College Republicans (FFCR), it couldn’t continue operating its local chapter.
“Under Florida law, any group using the College Republican name must have authorization from the state Republican party,” said Christopher Bartolomucci, a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer representing UF.
But the student chapter is arguing that it’s not affiliated with the state federation. Instead, it says it’s part of the College Republicans of America (CRA).
Documents shown in court filings show a letter from the state federation in August recognizing UF College Republicans as a local chapter, a vote from the FFCR to dissolve the UF chapter in February and a social media post from the CRA recognizing UF as a new chapter in March.
Additionally, the UF College Republicans say the university’s deactivation makes it harder for them to exercise their First Amendment right to free speech, even though they continue to meet. And they say UF’s decision case stems from viewpoint discrimination, when the government treats speech differently specifically because it agrees or disagrees with the opinion or perspective being expressed.
Lake County attorney Anthony Sabatini, who represents the chapter, said in a text message that he was pleased the judge agreed to expedite the trial for the summer. He had argued that the chapter would like the issue resolved before classes resume in the fall.
“UF has no legal case but sufficiently muddied the legal waters to evade an early decision,” Sabatini told a reporter.
The lawsuit was filed a month before in Gainesville to Walker, a judge appointed by former President Barack Obama who often presides over free speech suits.
UF also is entangled in another free speech lawsuit after a student was expelled for antisemitic comments on social media.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@usatodayco.com. On X: @stephanymatat.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Judge backs UF after College Republicans suspended over Nazi salute
Reporting by Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / The Gainesville Sun
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