'Wholly inappropriate': Kyrsten Sinema responds to Arizona State University bathroom confrontation
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) has shared her response to Sunday's incident at Arizona State University, when she was confronted by youth organizers outside her classroom and in a bathroom, reports The Daily Beast. Sinema has taught at the university since 2003.
"Yesterday's behavior was not legitimate protest," wrote Sinema in a Monday statement. "It is unacceptable for activist organizations to instruct their members to jeopardize themselves by engaging in unlawful activities such as gaining entry to closed university buildings, disrupting learning environments, and filming students in a restroom."
Organizers for social justice group Living United for Change in Arizona first approached Sinema outside what is reportedly her ASU classroom, then followed her into the bathroom, writes The Daily Beast. Activists wanted to speak with the senator regarding President Biden's Build Back Better agenda, for which Sinema has become a major sticking point.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"In Arizona, we love the First Amendment," Sinema wrote in her statement, adding that she and her team have met with LUCHA "several times" since being elected to the Senate. But she called what happened Sunday "wholly inappropriate."
"It is the duty of elected leaders to avoid fostering an environment in which honestly-held policy disagreements serve as the basis for vitriol," wrote Sinema.
Read her full statement below:
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
The Week contest: Primate peckPuzzles and Quizzes
-
Paddington: The Musical – a ‘funny, feel-good, family-friendly’ showThe Week Recommends The cast take a ‘well-known story’ and ‘melt your heart’ with this triumphant production
-
Political cartoons for December 4Cartoons Thursday’s political cartoons include a nap for Donald Trump, rage bait of the year, artificial intelligence turning on its master and more
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
-
Hegseth blames ‘fog of war’ for potential war crimespeed read ‘I did not personally see survivors,’ Hegseth said at a Cabinet meeting
-
Canada joins EU’s $170B SAFE defense fundspeed read This makes it the first non-European Union country in the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative
-
Appeals court disqualifies US Attorney Alina HabbaSpeed Read The former personal attorney to President Donald Trump has been unlawfully serving as US attorney for New Jersey, the ruling says
-
White House says admiral ordered potential war crimeSpeed Read The Trump administration claims Navy Vice Adm. Frank ‘Mitch’ Bradley ordered a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat, not Pete Hegseth
-
Honduras votes amid Trump push, pardon vowspeed read President Trump said he will pardon former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who is serving 45 years for drug trafficking
-
Congress seeks answers in ‘kill everybody’ strike reportSpeed Read Lawmakers suggest the Trump administration’s follow-up boat strike may be a war crime
