A prominent Palestinian rights organization said a conference it was planning later this month was canceled by a Hilton hotel in Texas where it was slated to host the event. 

The VAS CommunityUS Campaign for Palestinian Rights' (USCPR) annual conference was scheduled for October 27-29 at the Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria in Houston. The keynote speaker is billed as Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan.

Ahmad Abuznaid, USCPR's executive director, said in a statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Hilton's decision to cancel the conference violates the group's First Amendment rights and "is clearly an act of ethnic, racial and religious discrimination."

"Not only has Hilton breached their agreement with us, they have also sent a strong message that they stand on the side of hate and bigotry and hate," Abuznaid said.

Yesterday, the Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel, capitulating to external pressure from hate groups, canceled the USCPR upcoming conference. The cancellation was made with little notice or warning.
Our experience isn’t an isolated incident.
Our response is below #StandWithPalestine pic.twitter.com/o3G9YmzvLL

— #DefendMasaferYatta USCPR (@USCPR_) October 18, 2023

Hilton confirmed that it canceled the USCPR event, saying in an email sent to CBS MoneyWatch that "the safety and security of our team members and guests is our top priority." The hotel chain cited "escalating security concerns" as the reason for canceling the conference.

The company added, "Hilton Houston Post Oak by the Galleria serves as a place of public accommodation and does not endorse the positions of third-party groups or organizations."

The incident comes amid heightened sensitivities related to the the war between Israel and Hamas, an armed Palestinian militant group. Tensions in the U.S. have flared since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, including alleged crimes committed against both the Jewish and Muslim communities.

In:
• Palestinians

Khristopher J. Brooks

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering business, consumer and financial stories that range from economic inequality and housing issues to bankruptcies and the business of sports.

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