TEMPE, AZ — Arizona State University's police chief has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a review of complaints filed against him.
The announcement was posted to the school's website stating Chief Michael Thompson is on leave as officials look into his actions during protests on campus on April 26-27. The announcement stated the ASU Office of General Counsel is reviewing the incident.
Seventy-two people were arrested amid a pro-Palestinian protest at Arizona State University that started over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
ABC15 cameras captured Chief Thompson removing tents from the protest area. The university told ABC15 that Thompson was wearing ‘business casual’ clothes on the scene because he’d just left a meeting to respond to the protest.
ABC15 also went through our video footage and found this clip.
— Nicole Grigg (@NicoleSGrigg) April 27, 2024
ASU’s police chief is in the yellow polo shirt.
You can see him approach a tent, then you see his hand motion and a hole appear to open up in the side of this tent. @DaveBiscobing15 https://t.co/3yzzqIsTM2 pic.twitter.com/p7vWr8c98H
The ABC15 Investigators also obtained video from a person at the protest who does not wish to be identified. The video shows the chief admitting to cutting a tent with a knife and later appearing to knock a phone out of the person’s hand.
An Arizona State University postdoctoral research scholar is also on leave as the school investigates his videotaped confrontation with a hijab-wearing woman at a pro-Israel rally last weekend.
Assistant Chief John Thompson has been named Acting Chief, according to the statement.
