Arizona University's Left-Wing Groups Demand Rittenhouse Be Expelled From Campus
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On November 19, jurors concluded their deliberations and found Rittenhouse not guilty on all charges leveled against him. The teenager faced felony charges after fatally shooting two individuals and injuring a third during riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25 last year.
Several left-wing student organizations at Arizona State University on Monday demanded that Kyle Rittenhouse be "withdrawn" from the school.
Students for Socialism at Arizona State University, Students for Justice in Palestine at Arizona State University, Multicultural Solidarity Coalition at Arizona State University, and MECHA de ASU are all urging the university administration to remove the 18-year-old from the campus and issue a statement against him.
He has been dubbed "Murderer Kyle Rittenhouse" by the groups.
The flyer, shared by all of the groups, states, "KILLER OFF CAMPUS," and urges the educational establishment to "protect students from a violent, bloodthirsty murderer."
Join us and rally against racist murderer Kyle Rittenhouse being permitted on our campus – Wednesday at 3:30 outside the Nelson Fine Arts Center on campus pic.twitter.com/4Hs3JxRqtY
— Students for Socialism ASU 🚩 (@SFSASU) November 26, 2021
The 18-year-old must be removed from ASU, and the school must "release a statement against white supremacy and racist murderer Kyle Rittenhouse," according to a list of four demands.
The clubs also want the university to "reaffirm support for the multicultural center on campus as a safe space from White Supremacy," by diverting funds from the local police department.
The groups acknowledge that Rittenhouse, who said during his trial that he supports Black Lives Matter, was acquitted of all charges. However, the organizations regard this as evidence of a "flawed 'justice' system," claiming that "Rittenhouse is still guilty to his victims and the families of those victims."
"Even with a not-guilty verdict from a flawed ‘justice’ system - Kyle Rittenhouse is still guilty to his victims and the families of those victims," the demand letter states. "Join us to demand from ASU that those demands be met to protect students from a violent blood-thirsty murderer."
In a statement for the press, Students for Socialism ASU said that they "will not stand for a white supremacist killer on our campus." They also call the Rittenhouse trial a "failure of the justice system to punish fascist vigilante violence."
"The danger Kyle Rittenhouse presents is not just as a person on campus, representing the violence marginalized people face every day, but the racist and fascist right-wing elements that he will bring on campus," the statement reads. "Since Rittenhouse shot and killed two anti-racist protestors and wounded another, he has been followed online and in real-life by extremely violent right-wing nazis, fascists, and klan hanger-ons."
Citing their staunch opposition to "fascist ICE thugs, or killer IDF soldiers" invited on campus, in order to protect students from 'fascist violence" the group calls on the university administration to deny Rittenhouse enrollment.
23 November 2021, 19:04 GMT
According to local media reports, Rittenhouse was enrolled as an ASU Online non-degree-seeking student and had not yet gone through the admissions process as of early November. Rittenhouse had reportedly stated at the trial that he intended to study nursing or law at ASU, allegedly hoping to maintain a low profile.
However, Phoenix New Times reported on Sunday that he had dropped out of the university, although no details were provided at that time.
