ARIZONA, USA: A video shared on social media by a journalist from ABC 15 in Arizona depicted police in Arizona forcibly removing the headscarf of a woman attending a pro-Palestine protest at Arizona State University. The incident has sparked controversy and calls for investigation from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
According to reports, the police not only removed the hijab of the woman but also allegedly removed head coverings from several other women at the protest. Azza Abuseif, the executive director of CAIR’s Arizona chapter, condemned the reported actions of the police, emphasizing that the First Amendment guarantees the free practice of religion and that police cannot suspend this right.
In another development related to the Israel-Palestine conflict, police clashed with students at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) and made dozens of arrests as they dismantled an encampment set up to protest Israel’s war on Gaza.
The protests at UT Austin, which came amid similar demonstrations at other universities across the United States, aimed to call attention to what some experts at the United Nations have labeled as genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli forces’ actions have resulted in a significant loss of Palestinian lives, with casualties numbering in the thousands.
The confrontation at UT Austin escalated when officers in riot gear encircled about 100 sitting protesters, arresting them on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. The use of force, including pepper spray and flash-bang devices, prompted outcry and further attention to the ongoing protests.
In response to the arrests, the university issued a statement asserting that many of the protesters were not affiliated with the school and emphasized that encampments are prohibited on campus. The statement also alleged that some demonstrators were confrontational with university staff, leading to the involvement of law enforcement.
