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CAIR-Ohio Urges State Senate to Reject Anti-Free Speech Bill SB 87 Ahead of Pending Judiciary Committee Markup
Bill Would Weaponize IHRA Definition to Chill Peaceful Protest and Political Advocacy

(COLUMBUS, Ohio | Jan. 28. 26) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ohio chapter (CAIR Ohio), today called on the Ohio State Senate to vote NO on Senate Bill 87 (SB 87), warning that the bill poses a serious threat to First Amendment protections and could be used to silence peaceful political expression, including advocacy opposing Israel’s human rights abuses and genocide against Palestinians.

CLICK HERE: Ohio residents Urge State Senators to Vote NO on SB 87
The Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to consider SB 87 at a markup hearing this Wednesday, making immediate public engagement critical. While the meeting has been temporarily delayed due to winter weather and could take place within days.

At its core, SB 87 expands Ohio’s ethnic intimidation statute by enhancing criminal penalties based on perceived motive tied to race, religion, or national origin, including in contexts involving peaceful protest, political expression, and assembly. Civil rights advocates warn that the bill risks blurring the line between constitutionally protected speech and criminal conduct.

SB 87 would also codify the overbroad and widely criticized International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into Ohio law, raising serious concerns that criticism of a foreign government, specifically Israel and its policies, could be mischaracterized as evidence of discriminatory intent. Legal scholars, Jewish organizations, and civil liberties advocates have repeatedly cautioned that the IHRA definition has been weaponized across the country to suppress lawful speech and activism.

Ohio already has laws that address criminal conduct, including bias-motivated offenses. SB 87 does not clarify or narrow those statutes. Instead, it expands prosecutorial discretion by tying enhanced punishment to subjective assessments of motive, inviting uneven enforcement and creating a chilling effect on protected political advocacy, particularly during protests and demonstrations.

“The Ohio legislature should be strengthening constitutional protections, not undermining them,” said CAIR-Northern Ohio Executive Director Faten Husni Odeh. “SB 87 threatens to criminalize peaceful dissent and suppress advocacy for human rights under the guise of combating hate. Lawmakers must reject this dangerous approach.”

“Weaponizing antisemitism to criminalize criticism of Israel is criminal. Throwing the Constitution and your constituents under the bus to serve the lobby of a foreign state isn’t politics, it’s betrayal. There is no act more anti-American.,” said CAIR- Central & Southern Ohio Executive Director Khalid Turaani.

Organizations from across the state have joined CAIR-Ohio’s quest to defeat the anti-free speech bill again.

“There are other well-accepted definitions of antisemitism, including The Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which was published in 2021 by a diverse group of scholars and makes clear when speech on Israel-Palestine should not be considered antisemitic. Despite the availability of alternative definitions, organizations such as the ADL and government bodies continue to insist on using the IHRA definition, a clear indication that these efforts are not about protecting Jews from harm, but about censoring criticism of Israel. Anyone truly concerned about the rise of antisemitism would seek the removal of the IHRA from public and private use, not its further entrenchment.,” said Jewish Voice for Peace Cleveland member Dr. Robin Beth Schaer.

CAIR Ohio also pointed to a recently released joint CAIR and CAIR Action factsheet, “Voices of Resistance Against the IHRA Definition and the Antisemitism Awareness Act,” which documents how IHRA has been misused nationwide to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism and to silence students, activists, educators, and faith communities.

CAIR-Ohio urges members of the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate to protect public safety without sacrificing free speech, and calls on Ohio residents to contact their senators ahead of Wednesday’s markup hearing to demand a NO vote on SB 87

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CONTACT: CAIR-Northern Ohio Executive Director, Faten Odeh (216) 440-2247, fodeh@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com