Activism

The University Of Southern California Has Canceled This Muslim Woman Valedictorian’s Speech After She Showed Her Support For Palestine On Social Media

Asna Tabassum was accused of being anti-semitic because she had liked Instagram posts from a student group supporting Palestine.

Cherry Mohamed

Cherry Mohamed

— 5 min read
The University Of Southern California Has Canceled This Muslim Woman Valedictorian’s Speech After She Showed Her Support For Palestine On Social Media

The University of Southern California has canceled this Muslim woman valedictorian’s speech after she showed her support for Palestine on social media.

asna tabassum usc valedictorian
Photo via Facebook

Asna Tabassum, a biomedical engineering student who also minored in “Resistance to Genocide”, had been chosen from nearly 100 students with GPAs of over 3.98.

asna tabassum usc valedictorian speech canceled
Asna Tabassum, a graduating senior at USC, was selected as valedictorian and offered a traditional slot to speak at the 2024 graduation. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

She had been scheduled to deliver a speech at USC’s 2024 commencement ceremony on May 10, which is attended by about 65,000 people each year.

usc valedictorian speech canceled asna tabassum protest
USC students participate in a silent march in support of Asna Tabassum. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

But after Tabassum was announced as the valedictorian – or the top student – people both on and off-campus started attacking her over her social media activities.

asna tabassum usc
via Facebook

Tabassum was accused of being anti-semitic because she had liked Instagram posts from a student group supporting Palestine.

usc valedictorian asna tabassum muslim palestine
Asna Tabassum, a graduating senior at USC, was selected as valedictorian and offered a traditional slot to speak at the 2024 graduation. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Another student group supporting Israel then called for her to be removed because her Instagram bio links to a page that says “learn about what’s happening in Palestine and how to help”.

asna tabassum instagram
via Asna Tabassum / Instagram


The group said that the website linked to a page that called Zionism a “racist settler-colonial ideology”.

asna tabassum instagram link in bio palestine
via Asna Tabassum / Instagram

Then on Monday, April 15, USC announced that it was canceling Tabassum’s speech to “maintain campus safety and security”.

USC students participate in a silent march in support of Asna Tabassum, whose graduation speech has been cancelled by USC administration at University of Southern California. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

This is the first time that USC has ever canceled a valedictorian’s speech.

usc protest palestine valedictorian speech canceled
USC students participate in a silent march in support of Asna Tabassum, whose graduation speech has been cancelled by USC administration at University of Southern California. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In a statement, the school’s vice president said the decision had nothing to do with freedom of speech.

usc protest palestine valedictorian speech canceled
A student wears a face mask with “Let Asna speak” written on it during a USC silent march in support of Asna Tabassum, whose graduation speech has been cancelled by USC administration at University of Southern California. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

It said that its decision to choose Tabassum had led to an “alarming tenor” of discussions that had escalated to the point of creating “substantial security risks”.

usc asna tabassum palestine protest
USC students participate in a silent march in support of Asna Tabassum, whose graduation speech has been cancelled by USC administration at University of Southern California. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In a statement, Tabassum said she was shocked that her school had “succumbed to a campaign of hatred” and abandoned her.

Asna Tabassum / DocumentCloud

She said that she had been subject to racist hatred because of her “uncompromising belief in human rights for all”.

asna tabassum usc valedictorian hug speech palestine
Asna Tabassum, facing, a graduating senior at USC, receives a hug of support from a friend on the USC campus. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

USC’s vice president told the Los Angeles Times that the university would provide Tabassum support but added that its top priority is ensuring that the campus and community is safe.

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