Students protest against USC's decision to ban valedictorian's commencement speech

Students rallied next to USC's Tommy Trojan on Thursday to protest the university's decision to ban this year's valedictorian from delivering her commencement speech.

"One of the most gifted girls I have ever met," student Kaiser Kuresi said. "This university is trying to silence her."

Earlier this week, USC decided to bar the biomedical engineering major Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim, from speaking because of security concerns. In letter sent to college administrators, critics accused her of posting links and views on social media that promoted "antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric."

"My main point of contention is the fact that the university would select somebody who is so outspoken on such a contentious and incendiary and polarizing issue right now," senior Mark Rayant said. 

Rayant, who is Jewish, said he wants USC to apologize for the selection. He also wrote Tabassum a letter after the announcement, hoping to have a conversation. 

"To try to give her a perspective, I believe she may be lacking because it is such a highly polarized and politicized issue," he said. 

Senior Sabrina Jahan, who is also Jewish, said she has received threats, harassed and received backlash after USC's decision. 

"We wouldn't want to give this platform and the highest honor for our university to someone who not only defies the university's values and fails to exemplify those values but actively promotes that kind of hate speech," she said. 

Jahan added that she feels less safe at USC. 

"Personally, I do not feel as safe coming to school every day as I used to," she said. 

Over 50 student organizations signed a letter written in support of Tabassum, who spoke earlier this week saying USC caved to hatred. 

"I'm just as committed to the lives of Jews as I am to Muslims or to Christians, or to any other sort of identity," she said. 

A Change.org petition demanding Tabassum be allowed to speak at commencement has gathered nearly 4,000 signatures.

"The university's leadership made this decision in close consultation with our Department of Public Safety and threat team," USC said in a statement. "The decision had nothing to do with the background or viewpoint of the valedictorian but was instead based on a careful and holistic review of the situation from a safety and security standpoint."

There were no reports of any arrests or disturbances stemming from the march.