As the Trump administration attempts to tighten its policies against student protesting at universities via executive orders, students advise protesters on how to demonstrate their beliefs while simultaneously ensuring they're safe.
According to a Truth Social post from President Donald Trump on March 4, universities that allow "illegal protests" will be defunded, and students involved in those specific demonstrations are at risk of being expelled or arrested.
Despite orders from the Trump administration, University President Michael Crow said in an interview with The State Press, the University will continue to allow protests on campus.
"There's no anti-demonstration logic, it's a part of American culture," Crow said. "Get your voice known and try to bring people over to your view, and you do that by expressing your views in a public forum."
One way for students to feel safer when protesting is to find a group to attend demonstrations with instead of going alone, said Hayden Nguyen, a sophomore studying business and management, and the co-chair of Students for Justice in Palestine at ASU.
"It's crucial that everybody joins a group and then finds the group that's right for them," Nguyen said. "Then organizes with that group as a part of a collective."
Bryce Askew, the chair of the Young Democratic Socialists of America at Arizona State University and a senior studying chemical engineering, said the key to staying safe during protests is staying educated.
Askew also said the club is working to teach its members their rights.
Specifically, Askew said their student group discusses immigration law with its members to ensure those who could be at risk of deportation or visa-status revocation know how to conduct themselves if they participate in protests.
If protesters are approached by police, Askew said people can wait to speak until a lawyer is present by invoking one's Fifth Amendment rights.
The ASU Police Department stands behind ASU's free speech guidelines and recommends when protesting "that any (students) review these and implement them in their planning process," said Amanda O'Halloran, the public information officer for ASU PD.
"These guidelines were designed to help keep all students, visitors, staff and faculty safe on campus," O'Halloran said in a statement.
The University's free speech guidelines instruct demonstrators to stay out of the way of fellow students, such as refraining from blocking paths and to "respect your neighbors."
The guidelines also require that protests do not include any signs of violence or threats of violence, as any person on the University campus is subject to following the Arizona Board of Regents Code of Conduct.
Tear gas is also a concern for some protesters. Nguyen said students should be aware when the police put on tactical gear and pay attention to the direction the wind is blowing to avoid breathing in tear gas.
"If you see the center of the protest is out west of you, but the wind is blowing in your direction… you might want to move people away."
In terms of the University's official protest protocol, Crow said as long as students are following rules such as not disrupting the workings of the institution, or keeping their demonstrations inside the hours of 5 a.m. and 11 p.m., the University will not get in their way.
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"We have a pretty significantly well-designed policy for protests and for free expression, and you got to follow the rules," Crow said.
Crow said the University will have a presence at any protest through its Situation Engagement Team — which is a group of University staff that monitors demonstrations to "protect everyone's rights."
"We have to be there to protect the interests of our students," Crow said. "We have to protect public safety."
Askew said YDSA at ASU is also developing a new security strategy for its protests by making safety announcements at the beginning of each event.
This includes "announcements about safe practices, leading with a buddy, making sure to follow instructions," Askew said.
If students don't feel comfortable attending protests altogether, Nguyen said, students can look into attending congressional meetings and taking action on a legislative level.
READ MORE: YDSA at ASU launches 'Sanctuary Campuses' campaign to push for student protections
"It's crucial that people know that even though there are risks, there's still a lot of value," Nguyen said. "What makes the difference is having people in the streets and actually showing up and showing out."
College Republicans at ASU did not respond to a request for comment.
Edited by George Headley, Alysa Horton, Abigail Beck, Alexis Heichman and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at ehprest1@asu.edu and follow @ellis_reports on X.
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Ellis is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication. This is her first semester with The State Press. She has also worked at Arizona PBS and Blaze Radio.
