The wave of anti-Israel protests on college campuses across the country continued over the weekend, with two demonstrations temporarily suspending graduation proceedings at the University of Michigan.
During Saturday morning’s commencement ceremony, dozens of protesters wearing keffiyehs and graduation caps held Palestinian flags and marched down the center aisle toward the Michigan Stadium stage. CBS News reported.
As a speaker called on the crowd to join in the school’s “Go Blue” chant, demonstrators fired back with chants of “Regents, Regents, you can’t hide!” You are funding genocide.” According to the New York Times.
A plane carrying the message “Withdraw from Israel now!” Liberate Palestine! ” Counter-protest planes flew around the stadium carrying banners that read “We support Israel.” “Jewish Lives Matter” was also passed, CBS News reported.
As school police moved the protesters to the back of the hall, a member of the audience could be heard retorting, “You’re ruining our graduation,” the Times reported.
The newspaper said some pro-Israel demonstrators sitting in private boxes had Israeli flags displayed in their booths.
The graduation demonstration came a day after a group of demonstrators walked through the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater and Dance graduation ceremony carrying Palestinian flags and placards that read “UM Fund Massacre.” According to a video shared by reporter Thad Green.
The vandals were greeted with a mix of cheers and boos, with at least one person seen on video shouting “Get out, get out!”
“The protest lasted for several minutes, then the police arrived and the protesters left,” Green wrote on X.
A person not affiliated with the university was arrested outside the university’s art gallery, where protesters had gathered near a dinner for honorary degree recipients. The New York Times reported.
The New York Times reported that the disruption at the University of Michigan was probably a warning signal to other universities planning to admit graduate students this weekend.
At Northeastern University in Boston, where 98 people were recently arrested in connection with campus protests, officials are following strict rules about who can attend Sunday afternoon’s ceremony at Fenway Park, the newspaper reported. reported.
But many restrictions were already in place before the wave of anti-Israel protests that occupied campuses last month.
Ahead of the school-wide event, graduates from the university’s School of Art, Media and Design held up a message saying: “The NEU is funding genocide. The NEU is funding genocide.” Divest now! ” After receiving his diploma, he faced the camera and said, According to a video from Quds News Network.
The Ohio State University and Indiana University Bloomington also plan to hold school-wide graduation ceremonies at their schools this weekend.
Concerns about potential disruption to college graduation ceremonies are particularly high after the University of Southern California canceled its main commencement ceremony due to safety concerns.
Conflicts between protesters and law enforcement have escalated. On Saturday, an anti-Israel camp at the University of Virginia was raided by state police, who were captured on video dragging tents and protesters from designated areas on the campus lawn.
By about 1 p.m., at least one protester had been arrested. Olivia Pascal, a journalist and UVA graduate student, said:
“Police officers barged into the line of students and faculty, four or five at a time,” Pascal wrote, along with a photo of the scene.
One Photo shared by Pascal A uniformed officer was shown holding a number of what appeared to be zip ties.
However, the police response appears to have caused some onlookers to run and join the demonstrators. Daily Cavalier News Editor Thomas Baxter wrote about X.
