A federal court has denied UM System President Mun Choi's request to dismiss Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine's lawsuit against him. MSJP's suit accuses Choi of violating the First Amendment when he barred the group from participating in MU's 2024 Homecoming parade.
In a ruling filed Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough denied Choi's claims that he is entitled to qualified immunity, which protects government officials from liability for civil damages when they violate an individual's constitutional rights.
MSJP filed its lawsuit against Choi in August, with representation from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
In September, a federal court ruled that MSJP was allowed to participate in the 2025 Homecoming parade.
Court documents state that Choi personally denied MSJP's application in 2025, citing safety concerns with the group’s former president and campus violence elsewhere in the country last year. MSJP's application was denied on the basis that it didn't adhere to MU's new Homecoming parade policies banning political groups.
According to a news release from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, MSJP's civil rights complaint is moving forward.
