US university investigating professor after video of apparent harassment of Muslim woman surfaces

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Arizona State University (ASU) has placed a professor on leave amid an ongoing investigation, the school said Monday, after a video circulated appearing to show the academic harassing a Muslim woman.

"ASU is aware of the allegations against Jonathan Yudelman and is investigating them," a university spokesperson told Anadolu in an emailed statement. "Dr. Yudelman is on leave and will remain so pending the outcome of the investigation."

The probe came after bystander footage went viral on social media appearing to show Yudelman confront a woman wearing a hijab, or Muslim headscarf, at a pro-Israel counter-protest, aggressively drawing in on her while saying, "I am literally in your face. That's right."

"I am like literally," he says with an affectation appearing to mimic the woman as he continues to press forward, prompting her to move away.

The woman continued to try to get away, telling Yudelman, "You're disrespecting my religious boundaries."

"You disrespect my sense of humanity, b*tch," he says as he continues to push forward menacingly, prompting the woman to walk into the roadway before she attempts to cut through a crowd of demonstrators to get away.

"Hate crime, hate crime right here. Cops, what are you doing? Hate crime right here," a woman, who may have been recording the incident, can be heard saying.

It is unclear what prompted the incident, but a person can be heard saying, "we were literally just standing here." It is also unclear from the footage if any police were in the area.

The confrontation happened on Sunday, according to 12 News, a local NBC affiliate television station.

The ASU website says Yudelman teaches two courses at the university -- Great Debates in American Politics and Great Ideas of Politics and Ethics.