FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The South Florida Muslim Federation has filed a federal lawsuit against several people, businesses and Parkland city officials.
The SFMF, which is an umbrella organization representing 32 local Muslim organizations, made the announcement on Monday in front of the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, along with the Muslim Legal Fund of America.
The federal lawsuit names the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center, the City of Parkland, among other parties and according to the SFMF, it is due to the hotel’s decision to arbitrarily cancel the group’s annual conference, which was scheduled for Jan. 12 and 13 of next year.
According to the SFMF, despite a signed contract, the cancellation came following pressure from known anti-Muslim extremists, along with local government and business leaders.
The group provided a press release, which read, in part:
“The SFMF is deeply concerned about the implications of Marriott’s actions, which reflect a troubling trend of censorship and discrimination against marginalized communities. Failing to uphold contracts for discriminatory reasons and preventing minorities from accessing places of public accommodation in response to bigoted attacks was wrong in the Civil Rights Era of the 1960′s, and it is wrong now. In addition, both Marriott and local leaders must know that fearmongering and demonizing Muslims through the weaponization of terms such as “Hamas sympathizers” and application of anti-Muslim, terrorist-type tropes is never acceptable.”
Local 10 News’ Andrew Perez spoke with Parkland Mayor Rich Walker, who is named in the lawsuit.
Emails show he went to the hotel about the event. He says many residents sent him concerns about the annual Muslim conference.
“It’s up for me to relay those concerns to the venue,” Walker said.
“What were those concerns?” asked Perez.
“There was nothing specific,” Walker replied.
“But if it was enough to get you to go to the hotel, what were some of the concerns that residents were bringing to you?” asked Perez.
“Again, residents were just concerned of the event in general,” Walker replied.
He added what the hotel decides to do after that is frankly, solely on the hotel.
View the full complaint below: