Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner has withdrawn his resolution to end the lease of O Cinema following public outcry. According to Local 10, the resolution was proposed after the cinema screened the controversial documentary "No Other Land," which addresses the occupation and displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank.

At a City Hall meeting this morning, a majority of commissioners and community members opposed the mayor's proposal, citing concerns about First Amendment rights and freedom of speech. As reported by WSVN, Mayor Meiner had previously called the film antisemitic and sought to have it removed from the cinema's schedule. However, opponents of the proposal argued for the protection of artistic expression, regardless of the subject matter.

Although a few voices supported the resolution, including nearby mayors and the consul general of Israel in Miami, the pushback from community members and film advocates was strong. "The destruction of a school, the shooting of civilians, the pouring of concrete into a water well… these are not hateful inaccuracies. It’s certainly not antisemitic to portray it," an O Cinema employee told Local 10.

In response to the backlash, Mayor Meiner retracted his stance and suggested that O Cinema consider showing more balanced perspectives on the Middle East conflict. His decision followed significant criticism and the receipt of hate mail, leading him to reconsider the proposal's impact on the community's discussion of global issues.