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USC protests break out after anti-Israel valedictorian's commencement speech cancelled over safety concerns
Days after the University of Southern California (USC) announced it would cancel its valedictorian speech, along with all outside speakers during this year’s commencement ceremonies, protesters gathered on the school’s campus on Sunday to show support for the student.
USC announced it would not be allowing biomedical engineering major Asna Tabassum to give her valedictorian speech during the main stage commencement, which draws 65,000 people to the University Park Campus, following a series of social media posts she made about Israel.
“Given the highly publicized circumstances surrounding our main-stage commencement program, university leadership has decided it is best to release our outside speakers and honorees from attending this year’s ceremony,” a statement posted on the university’s commencement website read.
Tabassum’s social media, which critics called out as antisemitic, reportedly called for an end to the Jewish state. In a CNN interview, the USC valedictorian defended her position.
USC REMOVES OUTSIDE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS AFTER CANCELLING VALEDICTORIAN’S SPEECH
“The abolishment of the state of Israel, I‘d like to clarify, is the abolishment of an apartheid system. It inherently is a system that subjugates Palestinians as dehumanized. And it subjugates Palestinian life as not worth the same as other human life,” she said.
USC’s move sparked outrage as an organization called “CODEPINK” organized a demonstration to demand the school allow Tabassum to give her speech. “As the LA Times Festival of Books was hosted this year at USC, we rallied in solidarity with the silenced 2024 valedictorian, Asna Tabassum! Shame on USC! Reinstate Asna’s speech!,” the group wrote in a post on X.
According to the organization’s website, CODEPINK is a feminist grassroots organization working to end U.S. warfare and imperialism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect resources into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.
A spokesperson for the group told Fox News Digital that with the cancelation of all the graduation speakers, they are working on their next strategy.
‘Our hopes are that the voice of a young Muslim woman is not censored and silenced. Shame on USC for doing so,” the group said.
COLUMBIA JEWISH STUDENTS ‘NO LONGER FEEL SAFE,’ SAY ANTI-ISRAEL MOB CHASED THEM OFF CAMPUS
USC says the valedictorian is not being silenced for her political views on the ongoing unrest in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas but for the safety of Tabassum and others in attendance.
“After careful consideration, we have decided that our student valedictorian will not deliver a speech at commencement. While this is disappointing, tradition must give way to safety,” Andrew Guzman, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, wrote in the statement.
Guzman stated that the decision was necessary in order to maintain the school and its students’ safety.
“To be clear: this decision has nothing to do with freedom of speech. There is no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement. The issue here is how best to maintain campus security and safety, period,” Guzman wrote.
USC also told The Los Angeles Times that they had received threats via letters, phone calls, and emails.
Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum, Gabriel Hays, and Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
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Byron Murphy II, Seattle Seahawks Agree to Terms on Rookie Contract
Coinciding with his team debut on the practice field during rookie minicamp, the Seattle Seahawks and Byron Murphy II have agreed to terms on a four-year contract with a fifth-year option.
Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, per slotted value for NFL draft picks, Murphy’s rookie deal will be worth $16.08 million and Seattle will have the option to pick up his fifth-year option before the 2027 season. He becomes the first member of the Seahawks latest draft class to sign the dotted line.
Earning All-American and All-Big 12 honors as a junior at Texas, Murphy broke out as one of the most disruptive interior defenders in college football last season, helping guide the Longhorns to a College Football Playoff berth. He finished with 29 tackles, five sacks, and 8.5 tackles for loss while ranking in the top five among defensive linemen in quarterback pressures, pass rush win rate, and pass rush productivity rating according to Pro Football Focus.
Viewed as one of the top defenders in this year’s draft class, the Seahawks didn’t expect Murphy to be available when they were on the clock with the 16th overall selection. However, thanks to a historic start to the draft where 14 consecutive offensive players, including six quarterbacks, were selected to open the first round, he fell into their lap once the Colts chose UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu.
Even with other teams inquiring with what general manager John Schneider called “strong” trade offers and the Seahawks lacking a second-round selection, Murphy’s talent and upside proved too good to pass up and they quickly submitted his name as the choice.
Looking every bit like a blue-chip first-round pick at the VMAC on Friday, the powerful, athletic 297-pound Murphy will immediately be thrust into the competition for snaps in a veteran-laden defensive line headlined by Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and Dre’Mont Jones. While he’s expected to primarily play the 3-tech/4i defensive tackle role, he played nose tackle at Texas and also has the positional versatility to slide outside as a big 5-tech defensive end, so he could be moved around.
By signing Murphy just one week after drafting him, the Seahawks won’t have to worry about negotiations on offsetting money and signing bonus payout as they did last year when top-five pick Devon Witherspoon held out the first two days of training camp before eventually signing. With his contract signed, sealed, and delivered, the focus can shift to locking up the rest of their draft class and making corresponding moves to create enough cap space to do so.
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