ASU scholar on leave after video verbally attacking woman in hijab goes viral

A video has gone viral on social media of two men harassing and physically intimidating a woman in a hijab as well as another woman who were counter-protesting at a pro-Israel rally. One of the men has been identified as Jonathan Yudelman, an ASU postdoctoral researcher. The other haas been identified as Sammy Ben.

The video shows Yudelman getting in the face of the woman in the hijab and when she says he’s not respecting her religious boundaries, he replies with, “you disrespect my sense of humanity, b***h.”

An ASU spokesperson said, “ASU is aware of the allegations against Jonathan Yudelman and is investigating them. Dr. Yudelman is on leave and will remain so pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Yudelman is a postdoctoral scholar at Harvard University as well and an associate professor at the University of Austin. He taught two courses at ASU during his postdoc - Great Debates in American Politics and Great Ideas of Politics and Ethics.

Several student organizations called for Yudelman to be removed from his position at ASU. The Arizona branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations also called for him to be arrested and terminated from his position at ASU.