USA: California university suspends Muslim union for creating disorder

This is not the first time for the Muslim Student Union at UCI to be accused of promoting chaos at the Campus. When moderate Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association (AMSA), first organize interfaith activities to promote harmony, the MSU was the first to stand in the way.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Staff |
Source & Credit: | Haartez| AP
By Natasha Mozgovaya | June 14, 2010
Edited by Ahmadiyya Times

The University of California at Irvine has suspended its Muslim Student Union for one year and placed it on disciplinary probation for an additional year...

California police arrested the 12 members after Michael Oren's Irvine speech descended into chaos. The hecklers interrupted his lecture more than 10 times, shouting "killers" and "how many Palestinians did you kill?"

Oren took a 20-minute break after the fourth protest, only to be interrupted again by young men yelling at him every few minutes.


“We commend the University for its judicious decision in support of free speech and civil discourse,” said Shalom Elcott, President and CEO of Jewish Federation Orange County.

“The University’s disciplinary action regarding the MSU establishes an important and appropriate precedent and sends a powerful message to other universities across the nation," he added. ‬

According to the university's decision, the MSU membership is also required to collectively complete 50 hours of community service, as a result of which it will not be allowed to conduct organized campus events until at least the fall of 2011.

-- Reported by Natasha Mozgovaya reported for Haartez on June 14, 2010


Ahmadiyya Times update:

Associated Press reported that the university released a letter from a student affairs disciplinary committee to Muslim Student Union leaders. The letter says the group was found guilty of disorderly conduct, obstructing university activities and other violations of campus policy.

"The Muslim Student Union condemned Ambassador Michael Oren's appearance in February," the Associated Press wrote. "It has insisted it did not organize the protests, but the committee found it did engineer the protests and instructed participants to lie about its involvement."

This is not the first time for the Muslim Student Union at UCI to be accused of promoting chaos at the Campus. When the moderate Ahmadiyya Muslim Student Association (AMSA) first organized interfaith activities to promote harmony, the MSU was the first to stand in the way.

"When we first started and introduced ourselves they behaved in a very adversarial manner," says Anas Chaudry, a leader at the Ahmadiyya Youth Association who attended the UCI Campus. "At our first meeting they tried to disrupt the event as well as vandalize our stall."

According to Chaudry, the MSU went to a great length to keep AMSA from gaining footing at the Campus. "Before the most successful AMSA event [held at UCI] they constantly made efforts to hinder our advertising by ripping out posters and protesting out event," Chaudhry explained.

"They have even given khutbas [sermons] against Ahmadiyyat," Chaudry added.
 

--- Ahmadiyya Times Staff
--- Compiled from various sources
--- Edited by Imran Jattala