Student and faculty demonstrators gathered on the quad on April 23 in support of graduate student Elaf Hasan, who was arrested by American University police and detained by Metropolitan police after unfurling a Palestinian flag during University President Jonathan Alger’s inauguration.
The demonstration was organized by the AU Graduate Student Workers Union, AU Student Government and AU’s Young Democratic Socialists of America. The sentiment was that the University’s reaction towards Hasan’s peaceful actions was a violation of the University’s core values of free expression and open-mindedness.
Arusa Islam, SG president, said the administration is neglecting to uphold these values and failing to listen to student voices.
“I think they need to start listening to students and what they’re asking of us, and I think they need to protect our rights and speech as students,” Islam said. “Especially when they want us to be changemakers.”
Mohammed Abu-Nimer, a professor in the School of International Service’s International Peace and Conflict Resolution program, said the University should be doing more to create an environment where students can feel comfortable expressing themselves regardless of their ethnic, religious or cultural background.
“I think the AU community should be alarmed by now — that we can no longer hide, and not take a stand, and have a clear policy to protect the students and faculty, and the vulnerable among us,” Abu-Nimer said. “It’s time that we have such a policy being shared publicly, and give some space for people to speak up.”
Abby Kirkland, a graduate student in the School of International Science, thinks the University is acting in this manner in a deliberate effort to cover its political views.
“I think that they know what they did, and that’s why they’re hiding,” Kirkland said. “I think that they’re betraying the ideals they’re teaching every day.”
Although Hasan showed no signs of aggression in photos of the incident reviewed by The Eagle, the University said she was not arrested for the disruption itself.
“The graduate student was arrested because they threatened the life of a police officer,” said Assistant Vice President and Deputy Chief Communications Officer Elizabeth Deal in a statement to The Eagle.
Hasan, who faces criminal charges after her arrest, said the real problem of the incident is the way the University is using political views to combat academic freedom.
“Aren’t we here supposed to talk about anything and everything because we’re protected under academic freedom?” Hasan said in an interview with The Eagle.
As an SIS International Peace and Conflict Resolution student, Hasan said she sees the University’s actions as the antithesis of what she has been taught.
“That is what my major tells me, is to fight for oppression and to fight for basic human rights — and that is what I’m doing within these walls of this institution,” Hasan said. “So how are you fighting me? How are you suppressing me?”
This article was edited by Payton Anderson, Tyler Davis and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Olivia Citarella, Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Ella Rousseau and Hannah Langenfeld.
