Muslim Conference at Florida Marriott Cancelled Amid Security Concerns, US

A South Florida Marriott Hotel has canceled a Muslim group’s conference, citing security concerns after receiving 100 calls demanding the coalition be barred. The South Florida Muslim Federation, consisting of about 30 mosques and Islamic groups, said the Marriott Coral Springs Hotel and Convention Center informed them of the cancellation due to security concerns. The cancellation comes after a protest group accused the coalition of promoting Hamas, terrorism, and antisemitism. The Marriott’s decision shocked the South Florida Muslim community, who had previously held events at the hotel without incident. The federation is now seeking an alternate venue for their conference. The Coral Springs Police Department expressed concerns about conference security, although they had no knowledge of any threats. The decision to cancel ultimately came from the Marriott. The protest organizer accused the coalition of supporting terrorism and making antisemitic comments, accusations which the Muslim federation denied. This incident is part of a larger effort in Florida to silence criticism of Israel, according to a spokesperson for the Council of American-Islamic Relations-Florida. The state has recently barred the group Students for Justice in Palestine from public university campuses and Muslim doctors who expressed support for Palestinians have been fired from Florida hospitals. The cancellation of the conference raises concerns about freedom of speech and expression in the country.