Gaza protests align with University of Michigan graduation in the US
During graduation festivities, supporters of the Palestinian cause briefly interrupted a commencement ceremony at the University of Michigan this past Saturday. Similarly, clashes occurred between demonstrators and police at the University of Virginia, adding tension to the ceremony. As US colleges prepared for more potential disturbances, these events highlighted the ongoing activism and disruptions on campuses across the country.
Students from universities all over the US have come together in rallies and tent setups to voice their concerns about the ongoing conflict in Gaza. They are urging President Joe Biden, a supporter of Israel, to take further action to end the violence in the region. Additionally, they are calling on their schools to divest from companies that back the Israeli government, particularly those involved in arms supply.
Social media videos captured a moment at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor where dozens of students were seen donning traditional keffiyeh headdresses and graduation caps while proudly waving Palestinian flags. The students walked down the center aisle to a mix of cheers and boos from the large crowd in attendance.
The ceremony continued and campus police escorted the protesters toward the back of the stadium, but no arrests were made, according to Colleen Mastony, a spokesperson for the university.
“Peaceful protests like this have taken place at U-M commencement ceremonies for decades,” Mastony said in a statement. “The university supports free speech and expression, and university leaders are pleased that today’s commencement was such a proud and triumphant moment.”
The weekend brought more action across US campuses where contrasting views over Israel’s war in Gaza have erupted, sometimes violently, over the last couple of weeks.
Many of the schools, including Columbia University in New York City, have called in police to quell the protests.
Tensions briefly flared up once more on Saturday at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Police officers in riot gear can be seen in a video moving on an encampment of Pro-Palestinian protesters, cuffing some demonstrators with zip ties and dragging them across the lawn.
Police have so far arrested over 2,000 protesters at colleges around the country.
The University of Michigan is one of the many universities who altered their security protocols for graduation ceremonies.
The school told news agency Reuters last week it trained staff volunteers in how to mitigate disruptions, a change from the usual duties of guiding guests around campus and showing them to their seats.
The anti-war protests have been staged in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza, following the Hamas attack on October 7 that Israel says killed 1,200 people.
Israel has killed over 34,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities, and flattened the Palestinian territory.
