Tensions at Arizona State University showed no signs of abating as protestors, backed by faculty members, reiterated their demands at a news conference following a spate of arrests during pro-Palestine demonstrations on campus, as Fox 10 Phoenix reported. The group, defending ASU professors and students involved in the protest, is calling for the university to drop all charges and divest all funding to Israel, insisting on the resignation of ASU President Michael Crow in the process, per statements given to the media outlet. "If U of A can get President Robinson to resign, why can't we get Crow?" questioned ASU student Kelly Bauer during the event.
Amidst the uproar, ASU held firm to its prior statement emphasizing policy violations during protests; Jerry Gonzalez, assistant director of media relations highlighted that the protest went beyond peaceful assembly due to unreserved encampments and policy infractions, Fox 10 Phoenix reports, these violations include tents, overnight presence, creating a disturbance, and the disregard for space reservation policies by those who, as most were not ASU students, were warned repeatedly over loudspeakers of the potential legal and academic consequences they faced.
Meanwhile, ASU students faced interim suspensions and were ousted from dormitories and job positions—a decision that has prompted a lawsuit represented by attorney David Chami—challenging the penalties they’re currently enduring, as reported by AZFamily. Outrage further escalated with allegations of mistreatment; some students pointed to delays and disparities in due process after their arrests, and the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Arizona brought to light the forceful removal of hijabs from four ASU students by the police. In response to these allegations, ASU acknowledged the cultural concerns and committed to a review of the incidents led by the Office of the General Counsel.
The fallout of the protests has extended across Arizona with similar movements and resulting arrests at the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University, with officials cracking down on campus policy enforcement, and contrasting claims from students regarding their treatment by campus police during arrests, this information was noted in the AZFamily report. With the stance of the ASU administration and the resolute demands of its students remaining at loggerheads, the situation seems primed for a protracted standoff.
