Several groups at Arizona State University (ASU) are set to protest the online enrollment of Kyle Rittenhouse Wednesday, but the school says he is not a student there.
“Kyle Rittenhouse has not gone through the ASU admissions process,” ASU told The Arizona Sun Times by email. “He is not currently enrolled in any classes at ASU.”
During his high-profile trial, Rittenhouse testified that he was taking online courses at the school. At the time, ASU confirmed that statement.
But it also said at the time that the program in which Rittenhouse is enrolled “allows students access to begin taking classes as they prepare to seek admission into a degree program at the university.”
Meanwhile, left-wing students on the campus are planning to rally against him.
“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,” ASU’s chapter of Students for Socialism said on Twitter.
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
Rittenhouse was recently acquitted on all charges stemming from the August 25, 2020 shootings of three people at a Black Lives Matter riot in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Two of those people died from their injuries. A jury ruled that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense.
Students for Socialism says that despite Rittenhouse’s acquittal, he is still guilty.
“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,” it says in a statement. “Join us to demand from ASU that those demands be met to protect students from a violent blood-thirsty murderer.”
The rally is being supported by another campus group called “Students for Justice in Palestine,” which, like the socialist students, reportedly posted the following demands to its Facebook page:
- Withdraw Kyle Rittenhouse from ASU
- Release a statement against White Supremacy & racist murderer Kyle Rittenhouse
- Reaffirm support for the multicultural center on campus as a space safe from White Supremacy
- Redirect funding from the ASU PD [campus police] to support the multicultural center and establishment of a care center on campus
The campus’ Multicultural Society and MECHA de ASU, a Mexican-American student group, will join in the protests.
Legally, it is inaccurate to describe Rittenhouse, who was cleared of all charges, as a “murderer.” There is also no evidence that he is a “racist,” as suggested by the student groups.
The Arizona Sun Times reached out to ASU Law’s Interim Dean Adam Chodorow to see if the school was worried that such labels could lead to civil action taken by Rittenhouse, who many suspect will sue politicians and news outlets for defamation.
Chodorow declined to comment.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Tabling at passport to ASU!” by Students for Socialism ASU.
