By CHAD TUCKER FOX8 News and SAMUEL SPIES Associated Press Writer

GREENSBORO, N.C. — One of the Palestinian students allegedly beaten by several Guilford College football players attended an open forum Wednesday.

The gathering was held across the street from the campus at New Garden Friends Meeting. The school is trying to rebuild its reputation as a Quaker college of peace and understanding.

In that meeting, Guilford College has asked five students involved in a weekend fight some have labeled a hate crime to move off campus while police and school officials investigate.

The students, three Guilford football players and two Palestinian students the players allegedly attacked, will still be allowed to attend class and study in the college library, said Guilford President Kent Chabotar. A third Palestinian student, who attends college in Raleigh and was visiting friends at Guilford, has also said he was assaulted during Saturday’s altercation.

Chabotar announced the school’s request at an emotional forum held Wednesday evening near campus, and stressed the college was still working to figure out what happened. All five have reportedly already moved off campus.

“I’m saying we need to get the truth,” Chabotar said, adding administrators were hearing “a core of things that are very consistent” about the fight.

More than 600 students and faculty members attended the forum.

“It was an opportunity for everyone to speak in a safe environment,” said Yasmin Casado, sophomore. “The school is divided now (among) athletes, non athletes, blacks and whites.”

Some who attended the forum, like Vurhan Ghanayem, a Palestinian scientist at Research Triangle Park, are upset the school has not suspended the suspects and that the school will not call the incident a hate crime.

“So what do we call this?” said Ghanayem. “While we wait they should be suspended.”

Others, like Akir Khan, with Muslims for America, said everyone should be patient until the investigation is finished.

“We need to let all the facts come out first before pointing fingers,” said Khan

Many Guilford College students say they plan to protest the incident by walking out of class Thursday at 10:15 a.m.

Authorities have charged Michael Bates, 19, of Reidsville; Michael Six, 20, of Clemmons; and Christopher Barnette, 21, of Semora, with misdemeanor assault and ethnic intimidation, according to court documents. They were released Monday on $2,000 bail.

The documents state the three players taunted Guilford students Faris Khader and Osama Sabbah, and North Carolina State University student Omar Awartani, with racial slurs and called them “terrorists” as they assaulted them with their fists and feet.

Arrest warrants said Bates and Six used brass knuckles.

Awartani has said he suffered a concussion and had trouble walking on his own for several days after the attack. Sabbah’s aunt said Wednesday her nephew also suffered a concussion and had his hand placed in a cast.

School officials believe about 12 people were involved in Saturday’s altercation. Administrators at the school, which has a Quaker background, said Wednesday they are still trying to determine whether some of those involved were fighting or trying to break it up.

None of the players charged have returned messages seeking comment.

Police said they have assigned a detective to investigate the fight, which was reported to authorities on Sunday when Sabbah, Khader and Awartani went to the county magistrate’s office and swore out complaints against the three players.

“We’re just trying to get a handle on it now before we release any more information,” said Greensboro police Lt. Brian James.

During Wednesday’s meeting with Chabotar, students, staff and parents took turns expressing their anger, sadness and concern about the fight. Many echoed their support of various speakers with the Quaker phrase, “Friend speaks my mind.”

“I think that the culture of aggression that we have needs to be addressed,” said Natalie Bent, a Guilford freshman from Durham.

The family of Osama Sader said they plan to file hate crime and criminal lawsuits against Bates, Barnette and Six.

This article was originally published on January 24, 2006 on Fox8