Officials at the University of Southern California have barred this year’s undergraduate valedictorian – a first-generation South Asian-American Muslim – from delivering the ceremonial commencement speech, angering civil rights groups over what they believe is deliberate silencing of a student supportive of Palestine as conflict rages in Gaza.

USC officials claimed that discussion about their valedictorian selection has taken an “alarming tenor,” creating substantial security and disruption risks. Civil rights groups question the validity of these claims and believe this is the first time the university has prohibited a valedictorian from speaking at commencement.

“While this is disappointing, tradition must give way to safety,” USC officials said in a statement. They said the decision does not diminish the achievements of students considered or selected for valedictorian and “has nothing to do with freedom of speech.” Officials added that free speech is not entitled at commencement.

USC 2024 student valedictorian Asna Tabassum said in a statement that she was “honored” for the distinction but the occasion was marred after groups began attacking her online.

“Anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices have subjected me to a campaign of racist hatred because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all,” she said. “I am not surprised by those who attempt to propagate hatred. I am surprised that my own university — my home for four years — has abandoned me.”

Colleges and universities across the country have mirrored the tensions experienced in the U.S. since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7. As the death toll rises and famine overtakes Gaza, many have become more divided. Schools have reported a surge of threats and attacks that appear to be motivated by hate. Some students have expressed feeling uneasy on campus and world leaders and U.S. politicians alike have urged schools to maintain student safety as concerns rise.

In an online statement, Tabassum said the university has the resources to increase security measures amidst any threats but officials told her they would not because it is not what they want to “present as an image.” Tabassum said USC did not show her evidence of a credible threat, causing her to doubt whether the revocation was based only on safety concerns.

Andrew Guzman, the USC Provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, said a committee recommends student valedictorians based on a variety of criteria, and he selects from those recommendations. He noted that this criteria does not include social media presence.

An Instagram account believed to belong to Tabassum — set to private — reads “usc ‘24″ with a link to a pro-Palestine advocacy website that details how people can become involved.

Student groups like Trojans for Israel called on USC to “reconsider” its choice of valedictorian, claiming Tabassum “openly traffics anit-semetic and anti-Zionist rhetoric” because of the link in her Instagram bio.

The school’s announcement gained much attention on social media and was picked up by multiple news outlets. Civil rights groups in Southern California and some USC student groups expressed disappointment in the decision.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Los Angeles called on USC to reverse its decision.

“USC cannot hide its cowardly decision behind a disingenuous concern for ‘security,’”

CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said in a statement. “The dishonest and defamatory attacks on Asna are nothing more than thinly-veiled manifestations of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism, which have been weaponized against college students across the country who speak up for human rights—and for Palestinian humanity.

The USC Muslim Student Union issued a statement on Instagram expressing their support for Tabassum and their “profound dismay and disappointment” in the university’s decision.

“These groups have not only sought to tarnish her reputation and spew blatantly Islamaphobic rhetoric, but have also placed (her) in immense physical and emotions turmoil and pressured the university into altering its decision under the guise of baseless and slanderous accusations,” the group said.

The USC valedictorian and salutatorian honors are determined by a combination of factors, including grade point average and volunteer and university involvement. This year, 236 students were eligible for the recognition.

USC President Carol Folt named Asna Tabassum as valedictorian on April 2. She will be graduating with a degree in biomedical engineering and a minor in resistance to genocide. She was a member of the Muslim Student Union and volunteered with the USC Mobile Clinic.

Tabassum earlier this month told USC Annenberg Media that she was thankful for the honor and glad to finally celebrate achieving valedictorian — a distinction she earned in high school but could not enjoy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tabassum said she had hoped to use her commencement speech to inspire her classmates with a message of hope, but by canceling her speech, “USC is only caving to fear and rewarding hatred.”

“As your class valedictorian, I implore my USC classmates to think outside the box — to work towards a world where cries for equality and human dignity are not manipulated to be expressions of hatred,” she said. “I challenge us to respond to ideological discomfort with dialogue and learning, not bigotry and censorship. And I urge us to see past our deepest fears and recognize the need to support justice for all people, including the Palestinian people.”

According to Annenberg Media, no other student speaker will replace Tabassum during the ceremony on May 10. Officials said they offered her resources and support. Jon M. Chu, known for directing “Crazy Rich Asians,” will be the main speaker during commencement.

Guzman said USC will reconsider how to recognize high-achieving undergraduate students with “more inclusive processes and traditions.”

“Even though USC has maintained Asna’s position as valedictorian, the cowardly decision to cancel her speech empowers voices of hate and censorship, violates USC’s obligation to protect its students and sends a terrible signal to both Muslim students at USC and all students who dare to express support for Palestinian humanity,” Ayloush said.