Tensions at Arizona State University's Tempe campus ran high as 72 individuals were arrested over the weekend during protests against the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Sixty-nine of those arrests occurred in the early hours of Saturday, while an additional three were apprehended on Friday. According to a statement obtained by Fox10 Phoenix, ASU Police stated that most of those arrested were not affiliated with the university as students or staff but were demonstrating in solidarity with other national campus protests.
The demonstrations, which began on Friday and carried on into Saturday, were aimed to pressure ASU into severing its business ties with companies that support Israel and to demand transparency concerning how student tuition is invested. In a move to somewhat disrupt the demonstration, ASU authorities turned on sprinklers at the gathering outside Gammage Auditorium. AZ Family news crew reported protestors "huddled in groups holding 'Free Palestine' signs and waving Palestinian flags," while chants against ASU President Michael Crow were heard.
However, the university has enforced its policies strictly during the protest. The official statement from ASU emphasized that encampments are prohibited on the premises and demonstrations are not allowed between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. "Lawful demonstrations can take place except overnight," ASU stated, as they arrested individuals who failed to disperse after repeated warnings. According to the Fox10 Phoenix report, about 80 percent of those arrested were not students.
These arrests were not without legal challenge. One Maricopa County Judge reportedly found no probable cause for the initial arrests made on Friday, questioning the sufficiency of the allegations. "Based on the statements of the attorney’s and what I reviewed today I'm not going to find probable cause as to these allegations," the judge said, as reported in an AZ Family interview. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell responded, noting that charging decisions have yet to be made while expressing her intent to closely monitor each case.
An Israeli ASU student expressed concerns over the protests, stating that the initially peaceful gatherings have the potential to quickly turn violent, drawing parallels to situations where Jewish individuals have been attacked. The ACLU of Arizona pledged support for the student protestors through X, asserting, "We support the rights of student protestors at ASU and across the country to express their viewpoints including those that challenge our government." This statement captures a broader narrative of youth-led civil rights activism as noted by the ACLU.
