Arizona State College has put the chief of its campus police division on paid administrative go away, two weeks after dozens of individuals have been arrested at a pro-Palestinian encampment there.
The choice got here after complaints have been filed associated to the actions of the chief, Michael Thompson, in late April, when the campus police broke up the demonstration. College officers stated on Friday that the college’s normal counsel was reviewing the complaints, however they didn’t present additional particulars in regards to the allegations or who had filed them.
Twenty Arizona State college students have been among the many individuals arrested after they refused to go away the campus. The scholars have been briefly suspended, and have since filed a lawsuit in opposition to the Arizona Board of Regents, which governs the state’s public college system. The go well with, filed in Federal District Court docket in Arizona, argues that the varsity violated their First Modification rights.
There have been additionally studies that the police had eliminated at the least one lady’s hijab in the course of the arrests. These studies have been being reviewed by the final counsel’s workplace, the college stated in a press release final week.
Azza Abuseif, government director for Arizona’s department of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, stated in a press release on April 29 that she was calling for a full investigation.
College officers didn’t reply to questions on whether or not these studies have been associated to Chief Thompson being positioned on go away. The assistant chief of the varsity’s police division, John Thompson, is now serving as performing chief. The 2 males are usually not associated, in line with the varsity.
Anna Betts contributed reporting.
