Students hold up a photo of University of Southern California 2024 valedictorian Asna Tabassum in protest to her canceled commencement speech on the campus of University of Southern California on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
While Guzman did not specify whether there had been threats, he said that “we cannot ignore the fact that similar risks have led to harassment and even violence at other campuses.” The Israel-Hamas war has presented a challenge for colleges under pressure to preserve free speech and open debate, and campuses are expected to be further tested as commencement speeches get underway in the coming weeks.
“Anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices have subjected me to a campaign of racist hatred because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all,” she said, adding that she was not aware of any specific threats against her or the university. “To be clear: this decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech,” Guzman’s statement read. “There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period.”One, Isabella Griggs, said “there was no inkling” of Tabassum causing any harm with her words.