Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) fled into a bathroom in October to escape activists filming her because she knew “it was illegal for someone to record another person inside the bathroom,” according to a police report.
The Arizona State University (ASU) Police Department’s report on the October 3 incident was published Wednesday by the Arizona Mirror, revealing Sinema’s stated strategy to shake a group of protesters heckling and filming her during a break she took from the class she was teaching. Sinema entered the bathroom because of a law that forbids unwanted filming while the victim is “urinating, defecating, dressing, undressing, nude” or engaged in a sexual act, according to the Mirror.
Police officer Katie Fuchtman spoke with Sinema after the incident. The Arizona Democrat told the officer she “cares about the students and does not want their lives ruined for a horrible mistake they made” but wants them held accountable for their actions. Fuchtman wrote:
I spoke with Sinema regarding the incident and the crimes committed by the unknown subject. While speaking with Sinema she showed me a twitter video which was uploaded by a “Lucha_AZ”, showing the confrontation which occurred in the UCENT building and in the ladies restroom. Sinema sent links to the videos which were then forwarded to detectives and uploaded into evidence.com. Sinema stated this was not her first time being approached in this way and that is why she entered the bathroom, knowing it was illegal for someone to record another person inside the bathroom. Sinema stated the subjects followed her into the bathroom and continued recording while yelling at her. The video also showed several students of Sinema inside the bathroom. See Officer Alexander case report for information. Sinema stated the subject told her they would be back. Sinema felt the subject would be back later today because her class is publicly scheduled to let out at 1700 hours but she was planning on ending around 1500 hours.
At about 1500 hours I returned to UCENT to speak with Sinema about our plans for identifying the subjects and the legal process of arrest for the crimes committed. Sinema agreed the subjects should be held accountable and would work with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in regards to a victim statement. Sinema cares about the students and does not want their lives ruined for a horrible mistake they made but agrees she wants them held accountable.
An officer escorted Sinema to her vehicle and she was provided our contact info for safety escorts in the future. I waited at UGENT until 1710 hours and no protesters showed.
As Sinema stepped out of class to move her car to a new lot on October 3, the activists confronted her over her resistance to President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion Build Back Better infrastructure bill.
One of the activists, identified only as Blanca, is not a citizen of the U.S. and has remained in the country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Blanca risks losing her status in DACA and being deported if found guilty of breaking the law barring inappropriate, surreptitious filming, the Mirror reported.
Four students have been charged with misdemeanors over the incident, though none have yet been charged with a felony for filming in the bathroom. Police are still investigating the incident.