Mediaboss Marketing

Activists ambush Sen. Kyrsten Sinema at ASU over Build Back Better Act

People with the organization LUCHA confront Sen. Kyrsten Sinema at Arizona State University on Oct. 3, 2021, over the Build Back Better Act.

Courtesy LUCHA

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema fled to a bathroom when activists confronted her at Arizona State Universitys downtown Phoenix campus because she believed recording someone inside one was a crime, according to an ASU police report obtained and shared by the Arizona Mirror.

The report describes the Oct. 3 confrontation between Sinema and activists who criticized the senator over her lack of support for the Build Back Better Act.

Living United for Change in Arizona, or LUCHA, an immigration reform advocacy group, posted a video of the confrontation on its Twitter account which showed activists following Sinema out of her classroom and into a bathroom after Sinema declined to speak to them.

We knocked on doors for you to get you elected," a woman filming the encounter who identifies herself as Blanca is heard saying after the senator enters a stall. "And just how we got you elected, we can get you out of office if you dont support what you promised us.

The Arizona Republic is not identifyingthe four activists under investigation as they have not been charged with a crime.

Sinema told an officer that she entered the bathroom because she believed it was a crime to record someone while inside one, according to the report.

The report also said four other female students were in the bathroom during the confrontation, some of whom told police they were startled and felt uncomfortable during the encounter, with at least one staying inside her bathroom stall until the activists had left the building.

Arizona law prohibits recording another person inside a bathroom, bedroom, locker room or another type of room where one has a reasonable expectation of privacy and the person is urinating, defecating, dressing, undressing, nude or involved in sexual intercourse or sexual contact. Doing sois a felony.

The report lists multiple offenses that include surreptitious videotaping, disorderly conduct, second-degree criminal trespassing, interfering with an educational institution and harassment, though its unclear whether police initially planned to recommend those charges.

ASU police eventually recommended that the four activists be charged with disorderly conduct and disruption of an educational institution both of which are misdemeanors, though the police report lists a detective recommending charges against only three of the activists.

The reason behind the discrepancy was not immediately clear as of Wednesday evening.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Officeinstead returned the investigation back to the police and requested more information. Adam Wolfe, an ASU police spokesperson, told TheRepublic on Wednesday that the investigation remained ongoing.

Sinema told police she wanted the activists to be held accountable for their actions without destroying their lives, according to the report.

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or perry.vandell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @PerryVandell.

Support local journalism.Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Link:
Report offers new details on confrontation between Sinema and activists on ASU campus - The Arizona Republic