The arrival of a CNN news tent forced an Iraq war exhibit planned for Monday to move from Hayden Lawn to the Student Services Lawn.
Despite reserving the Hayden Lawn space in August, the group behind the exhibit was told it had to change its plans on Friday.
ASU officials announced that they wanted the exhibit moved because they needed to create space for a CNN media tent.
Volunteers from Arizona Alliance for Peaceful Justice spent the weekend placing 1,071 white crosses in the grass, said David Wells, the group's founding member and the assistant director of the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program at ASU.
Each cross represents a U.S. soldier who died in the Iraq war.
People who came to see the crosses on the Student Services Lawn said they were disappointed by the move.
"It's like [ASU officials] are more interested in looking good for the media than paying attention to the students," said theater freshman Eva Wingren.
Wells said the space on the Student Services Lawn wasn't as visible as Hayden Lawn, but provided more space and shade.
Becky Hornack, senior program coordinator for the Memorial Union, said ASU's Event and Meeting Services had to accommodate the national media for the debate. CNN officials said they would be shooting "Crossfire" and other programs from the tent and needed a lot of space for crowds, she added.
"This is definitely something we don't do on a normal basis," Hornack said. "That's why we made other arrangements for [the crosses]."
Wingren said she didn't want the University to favor the national media over students.
"I guess there should be plenty of space for both groups," Wingren said. "It definitely seems like the media is getting the privileges right now."
The crosses were laid down on Student Services Lawn Monday morning with a few crosses standing up around the perimeter because, Wells said, ASU officials were afraid that poking the crosses into the ground would have damaged the freshly grown grass on the lawn.
Wells said he later spoke with the Arizona chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which contacted ASU officials.
Wells said the officials later told him the crosses could be poked into the ground. By Monday evening, all of the crosses were standing.
"ASU made a good choice in protecting First Amendment rights," Wells said. "The General Counsel's office did a good job of sifting through to the truth."
ASU officials could not be reached for comment.
"We're pleased that we were able to display the memorial the way it was intended," Wells said.
Painting the crosses cost about $600 and took several days, Wells said.
The event will run through today and close with a candlelight vigil on the Student Services Lawn at 9 p.m.
Reach the reporter at nicole.saidi@asu.edu.
