The University of Southern Maine has signaled it is canceling a conference scheduled for its Portland campus on Saturday, February 28th just six days prior to the event.  The Consequence of Palestine conference was a one day, four-session academic conference “interrogating historical clarity, media narrative and the legal and human consequences of genocide and inaction.”  The conference was co-hosted by the Maine Coaliion for Palestine, Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights and USM Department of Criminology and Sociology.

Conference organizers entered into a booking agreement for Hannaford Hall at the Abromson Center at USM on January 27h and were notified by the University of Maine Systems Office of General Counsel on February 20th the user agreement could be terminated.

According to an email exchange provided by the conferrence organizers:

“The University of Southern Maine has learned that one of the speakers planned for The Consequence of Palestine Conference is sanctioned by the federal government.  Specifically, she appears on the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, which legally prohibits any US person or entity from exchanging any goods or services with those on the list.  Given this, the University will need to immediately terminal the facility use agreement with you that is related to this event, unless, consistent with federal law, you can provide us with evidence of written approval from OFAC for this speaker to participate.”

The correspondence from University Counsel began after Israeli and conservative Jewish media outlets Jewish Insider, JNS and 124 News contacted the University Administration about the conference.  Conference organizers say they saw an article in JNS titled “University of Southern Maine nixes campus event with Franesca Albanse” before receiving notice from the University seeking additional details and authorization.  Organizers say they provided documentation to Counsel from OFAC, as well as established case law pertaining to nearly identical conferences and academic events, stating tht “Francesca Albanese’s virtual appearane at our February 28 conference does not violate the letter or the spirit of OFAC sanctions, and that the OFAC guidanace does not require us to seek such authorization”  Conference organizers say they offered to remove the sanctioned speaker from the program, at which point they were told “Even if (MVPR) removes the sanctioned speaker, the University cannot host the event as we need time ti assess the risk and put in place measures to ensure compliance.  Therefore, the conference must be held elsewhere or postponed to a future date.”

Organizers also forwarded a reply to the University Counsel and President from OFAC stating that, “If the facts and circumstances are like those described in the MESA application, there is a likelihood that the transaction would not be prohibited under IEEPA, but have not received further replies.  Sources within the University system say that the Administration was receiving pressure from outside calls and emals, likely triggered by the articles in the Israeli publications. According to an email from Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights, “There are indications that the university may have responded to outside pressures to cancel the conference ‘”as well as pressure from the University Board of Trustees.

According to that email ‘While there is a small chance they will reconsider, we are working hard to find an alternative venue on short notice (we already have more than 300 registrations)…We remain determined that the conference will take place and we’ll let you know the moment final conference details are available.  In the meantime, we deeply appeciate your support and understanding.

For background information on this Conference, please visit post herein dated February 18 2026.