Grand Canyon Times

Arizona State University has not punished students who staged an October pro-HAMAS rally at the school, advocating for the elimination of Israel.

School officials confirmed to the Grand Canyon Times that they have made no public statements about “Day of Resistance Rally for Palestine,” and that there are no “records, communications, or documents related to disciplinary actions” taken by the school.

The rally was held on Oct. 21 and organized by the ASU Chapter of “Students for Justice in Palestine.”

ASU’s Academic Affairs Manual “expressly prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation,” by students or employees of the University, “based on any protected status” including “religion” and “national origin.”

The Manual says conduct “need not rise to the level of a violation of federal or state law” to constitute a policy violation and warrant action from administration.

ASU has publicly announced student conduct violations in the past.

In March 1969, five ASU students were found guilty of disorderly conduct and placed on probation over their behavior during an appearance at the school by then-Governor Jack Williams. 

A seven hour public hearing on charges of “unsolicited comments, shoutings, questions, clapping and general rudeness during the course of the governor’s speech” as well as “following him shouting, chanting and gesturing” was reported by the Arizona Republic.

In Oct. 2002, ASU senior Brian Buck was publicly “sanctioned” for filming what the Republic called a “pornographic film” titled Shane’s World No. 29: Frat Row Scavenger Hunt 3 on ASU’s fraternity row.

In Nov. 2021, it publicly charged “two students involved in a viral confrontation in the multicultural center” at ASU with violations.

Students Sarra Tekola and Mastaani Qureshi were accused by ASU of “interfering with University activities” and “received notices of allegedly violating the interfering with University activities and harassment policies of the student code of conduct” after they attacked a male student who had a “police lives matter” sticker on his laptop and was wearing a “Didn’t vote for Biden” t-shirt.

Qureshi was asked to submit a “reflection” to ASU, but she refused, and instead chided the university at a press conference.

"I stand by everything I did and (what) I said on Sept. 23," Qureshi said. "I did it for all of you here. I did it for our kids, I did it for our grandkids. I did it so our kids can study in peace just like white kids.”