A Portland State University professor who proclaimed “I am Hamas” at a demonstration has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
The faculty member made her pro-Hamas declaration during a June 2 protest in Beaverton, Oregon, on behalf of Tammy Carpenter, a school board member under investigation for her alleged antisemitic social media posts.
“I am Hamas,” said the professor, as shown on video posted by the Willamette Week, to an unidentified man.
He replied: “You are Hamas? Great. What was the plan for Hamas?”
She responded by waving her arm toward the protest crowd and saying, “We are all Hamas.”
Portland State President Ann Cudd, in a statement disavowing the “reprehensible video,” confirmed that the speaker was a university professor.
“Portland State University has been made aware of a short video circulating that includes a PSU professor speaking at an independent, non-university event off campus,” said Ms. Cudd in a Friday statement. “The individual makes statements, ‘I am Hamas. We are all Hamas.’”
Ms. Cudd did not name the professor, but KOIN-TV and StandWithUs Northwest have identified her as Yasmeen Hanoosh, a professor of Arabic in the Department of World Languages and Literatures.
Her biography is posted on the PSU website, but her photo has been removed. The Washington Times has reached out to her for comment.
In her statement, Ms. Cudd said the university “stands unequivocally against antisemitism, terrorism, and hate of any kind, including the statements made in this video,” calling them “absolutely unacceptable.”
“PSU is conducting an investigation of this incident and the faculty member involved has been placed on administrative leave,” she said.
Portland State is one of at least 60 universities under investigation by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights over possible violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin, including Jewish ancestry.
Ms. Cudd said the university has taken “a number of steps this year to improve the safety of our campus and protect free speech” since the campus was beset with anti-Israel protests following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israeli civilians.
“For example, we clarified and posted time, place, manner standards for free speech,” said Ms. Cudd. “PSU’s Office of Equity & Compliance (OEC) staff conduct in-person and remote training on a regular basis related to bias response and reporting.”
The protests culminated in the March 2024 takeover of the Millar Library by pro-Palestinian activists, resulting in more than 30 arrests and at least $1.2 million in damages.
The State Department has designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization since 1997.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.