On Monday afternoon, University of Southern California Provost Andrew T. Guzman made an announcement: “After careful consideration, we have decided that our student valedictorian will not deliver a speech at commencement. While this is disappointing, tradition must give way to safety.” While the student valedictorian wasn’t named, Guzman was referring to Asna Tabassum, a first-generation South Asian American Muslim, who was scheduled to address some 65,000 people at USC's commencement next...
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on the USC campus on Thursday amid a
Campus tensions over Israel’s war on Gaza have flared up again, this time at the University of Southern California, which this week barred its valedictorian from speaking at next month’s commencement ceremony. The school cited potential campus safety risks if Asna Tabassum delivered a speech. Provost Andrew T. Guzman said in an email to students and staff on Monday that public discussion had “taken on an alarming tenor” after the school announced its choice for valedictorian. “The intensity of...
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the University of Southern California in support of Class of 2024 valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, after her commencement speech was canceled. USC has been in the spotlight since the school decided to nix Tabassum's valedictorian speech, citing safety concerns. An Instagram account with the handle @Israelwarroom shared a post on April 9 featuring []
USC has canceled the commencement speech of its Muslim valedictorian over alleged safety concerns, receiving backlash for the decision.
The California university cancelled Asna Tabassum’s speech because of ‘security concerns’. The real reason is cowardiceWhen Asna Tabassum, a hijab-wearing Muslim, was announced as the valedictorian for the University of Southern California class of 2024, my initial reaction was the thought of my south Asian mother saying, “What are you doing? Why aren’t you valedictorian?” But what followed was pride.Then the university announced last week that it would no longer allow Tabassum to speak at...
Five months ago, USC cited safety as a rationale for banning economics professor John Strauss, who is Jewish, from campus after student activists said they felt threatened when he approached them at a protest and said “Hamas are murderers. I hope they all are killed.” “Our north star is protecting the safety of our community,” a USC spokesperson said at the time. Now the university is again citing safety concerns for canceling a Muslim valedictorian’s speech at its May commencement ceremony....
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the University of Southern California on Sunday in support of Class of 2024 valedictorian Asna Tabassum after her commencement speech was canceled, along with other outside commencement speakers. The post USC protests break out after anti-Israel valedictorian’s commencement speech cancelled over safety concerns first appeared on WFIN Local News.
A pro-Palestinian protest heated up Saturday evening at USC as Los Angeles Police Department officers from around the city were placed on alert and the public was urged to avoid the area. At 6:35 p.m. Saturday, the Los Angeles Police Department broadcast that a Citywide Tactical Alert was issued due to a situation in the […]
LAPD was on a Citywide Tactical Alert on Saturday evening.
It appeared a pro-Palestinian protest heated up Saturday evening on the University Park Campus at the University of South California as Los Angeles Police Department officers from around the city were placed on alert and the public was urged to avoid the area. At 6:35 p.m. Saturday, the LAPD broadcast that a Citywide Tactical Alert […]
Shame on Columbia University and its cowardly president for ordering the arrest of 100 students who were peacefully demonstrating for the rights of Palestinians. Thumbs down also to USC administrators for canceling the valedictorian speech of a highly qualified Palestinian student, allegedly due to unspecified concerns for safety. These are despicable attacks on academic freedom and the rights of students to express and exchange ideas.