TL/DR –
Arizona State University (ASU) cancelled an event featuring Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, entitled “Why Palestine is an American Issue.” The decision came after a bipartisan group of Arizona state lawmakers voiced their disapproval of Tlaib’s “extremist, antisemitic views” and the U.S. House voted to censure her over controversial comments regarding the Israel-Hamas war. ASU stated that the event, planned by groups not affiliated with the university, did not meet its requirements for crowd management, parking, security, and insurance, and disrupted academic and other activities on campus.
Arizona State University Cancels Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s Event
Plans for Rep. Rashida Tlaib to address a gathering at Arizona State University (ASU) were scrapped just hours ahead of commencement. Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American in Congress, was set to share insights on the topic, “Why Palestine is an American Issue,” at a 4 p.m. event in Tempe on Friday.
ASU made the announcement earlier on Friday morning, stating the event was not consistent with the university’s protocols. Here’s what the statement specified:
“Event organizers using ASU facilities need to comply with university regulations for crowd management, parking, security, insurance, and minimum disruption to academic activities. This event featuring Congresswoman Tlaib was organized and produced by groups unaffiliated with ASU and failed to meet ASU’s policies and procedures.”
This cancellation follows recent criticism of Rep. Tlaib’s viewpoints. A bipartisan group of Arizona state lawmakers previously issued a news release stating that Tlaib’s “extremist, antisemitic views” were unwelcomed within the state. Moreover, the U.S. House voted to censure Tlaib over her Israel-Hamas war commentary, reflecting her staunch criticism of Israel.
The event was sponsored by several pro-Palestinian groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). It remains unclear whether the organizers would attempt to reschedule or relocate the event.
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