ASU Protestors Arrested: A Violation of Rights to Free Speech and Assembly

The Incident

On the 7th of May 2018, 20 students and 51 protestors were arrested on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus for protesting in favor of Palestine. The protestors had set up an encampment on the grounds which led to the ‘unlawful assembly’ declaration by the administration. The tents and overnight camping were seen to violate university policies, leading to the involvement of the Tempe police, and subsequently, arrests. Breanna Brocker, one of the students involved in the protest, says she was surprised that she and her colleagues were arrested at all. “I thought ASU would stand behind us and protect our rights to protest, our right to assemble,” she said.

Legal Ramifications

The Maricopa County Judge, on Tuesday, dismissed the cases without prejudice. However, attorneys representing the protestors have stated that having a record of arrest will affect employers in the future. Furthermore, the charges could be brought back in a year if the county attorney’s office and the university decide to do so. Consequently, this means that queries will always arise over the motive of the protest and the resulting arrests. The protestors argued that their First Amendment right to free speech and assembly was violated by the ASU administration, while others contended that the university should respect civil liberties.

ASU’s Reaction

The administration at ASU views the arrests as a lawful act and necessary to maintain sanity on campus. The students involved in the protest were subsequently placed on interim suspension pending an investigation. This was initially to be only for 10 days from the date of the arrests, but Brocker laments that as an ASU employee, she’s currently still stopped from working. It is also noteworthy that the ASU police chief was placed on administrative leave following complaints about how the protests were handled.

Impact and Implications

The protest at ASU and subsequent arrests have drawn mixed reactions. Supporters see it as an act of courage and determination by the protestors while opponents view it as a violation of school policies, with some even terming it as anti-Semitic. The legal ramifications of the arrests carry weight. A criminal record generally makes it hard for an individual to secure a job, and this could be disastrous for recent graduates. The arrests could also draw negative attention to ASU in global academic rankings and impact enrolment numbers.

Conclusion

While it is necessary to maintain order and respect university policies, the administration must find a way to balance this with the First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly. Universities have a responsibility to be the forefront of promoting civil liberties and fostering peaceful protests among their students. ASU and other universities should create policies that ensure that the rights of their student body are protected while ensuring that security is not compromised, and university policies are followed. It is essential to remember that students are the cornerstone of the university as they are tomorrow’s leaders of the society and countries at large.

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Originally Post From https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/charges-against-asu-protestors-dismissed-but-they-arent-completely-in-the-clear/75-b11f171b-848a-439f-96fa-556af9f7fd88

Cases against Arizona State protestors dismissed