Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the University of Michigan’s graduation ceremony on Saturday, with videos showing the crowd erupting into cheers as the protesters were escorted away. About 75 protesters, many carrying Palestinian flags and signs, marched up the main aisle during the ceremony. Some students wore traditional Arabic keffiyeh and one even decorated their cap with the Israeli flag. Above the stadium, planes flew competing messages related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
No arrests were made and the protest did not delay the ceremony, which saw the graduation of 8,500 undergraduates and 6,622 graduate and PhD students. The university spokesperson stated that peaceful protests have been a part of commencement ceremonies at the University of Michigan for decades, and university leaders support free speech and expression. The ceremony was a proud moment, despite the protest, and unfolded successfully without interruption.
Videos shared on social media show the protesters chanting slogans such as “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest” and “Regents, regents, you can’t hide! You are funding genocide.” There were conflicting reports on whether the crowd was cheering in support or opposition. U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro had to pause his commencement speech multiple times due to the disruption caused by the protest.
Protests in support of Palestine have been spreading across campuses in the U.S. following the arrests of protesters at Columbia University who set up a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.” Participants in these protests are demanding that universities divest from companies supporting Israel and calling for a permanent ceasefire to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The ongoing violence in Gaza, which has led to thousands of Palestinian deaths and injuries, has sparked condemnation worldwide and has led to disruptive and violent protests.
The House of Representatives recently passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act in response to reports of rising antisemitism on college campuses, particularly during protests related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The bill aims to address allegations of Jewish students being targeted during these protests. The conflict in Gaza, which has been ongoing for several months, has resulted in a high number of casualties, with a significant portion being children and women. Peaceful protests and demonstrations have been a common sight at universities, with supporters of both sides expressing their views and calling for action.
