Miami Beach mayor takes loss in effort to defund cinema for screening film on Palestine
Miami Beach, Florida - Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner on Wednesday withdrew a proposed resolution to defund an independent movie theater for screening an Oscar-winning film on Palestine.

Meiner's resolution sought to terminate the city's relationship with and financial support of O Cinema, a theater which rents space at Old City Hall.
The mayor introduced the measure earlier this month in response to O Cinema's screening of No Other Land, an Academy Award-winning documentary about Israel's land theft and forced displacement of the Palestinian people.
Meiner had urged O Cinema to cancel screenings of the movie, which he described as "hateful propaganda." The theater ultimately chose to show the film in spite of the mayor's opposition.
Attempts to punish the theater raised widespread concerns for free speech rights.
"The ability to document history and share diverse perspectives is a fundamental First Amendment right – one that cannot be erased or suppressed simply because those in power disapprove of a particular message," O Cinema said in a statement shared by CBS.
Meiner put a second resolution on the agenda calling on O Cinema to "showcase films that highlight a fair and balanced viewpoint of the current war between the state of Israel and the groups Hamas and Hezbollah to ensure that the viewpoint of Jewish people and the state of Israel is fully and accurately presented."
The Miami Beach City Commission tabled the measure until a later date.
"Mayor Meiner's brazen statements that we are in a 'propaganda war,' combined with his new proposed resolution, make it even more clear that he is taking this retaliatory action because he disagrees with a particular viewpoint. That is patently unconstitutional," said an attorney for O Cinema.
Cover photo: Arturo Holmes / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP