A look at commencement ceremonies as US campuses are roiled by protests over the Israel-Hamas war
Commencement ceremonies are held at colleges and universities across the US. With many campuses roiled by protests over the war between Israel and Hamas, some school officials have taken steps to limit disruptions during their commencement activities.
The University of Michigan commencement took place early Saturday, with some interruptions. Before the ceremony, the school had said that staff and security officers were prepared to respond and that disrupting commencement would not be considered freedom of expression.
Indiana University has designed protest zones outside the graduation sites ahead of the commencement, scheduled for Saturday evening. The campus in Bloomington, Indiana, is designating areas outside Skjodt Assembly Hall and Memorial Stadium, where ceremonies will be held for students on Saturday.
Here is an overview of some commencement ceremonies:
Police officers stood nearby as some graduates holding Palestinian flags and shouting pro-Palestinian messages protested during commencement at the University of Michigan on Saturday, where tens of thousands of people gathered at Michigan Stadium. One banner read: “There are no more universities in Gaza.”
The protests took place offstage and did not slow down the nearly two-hour event. But U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro paused several times during his remarks, at one point saying, “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, if you could please turn your attention back to the podium.”
Del Toro administered an oath to graduates in the armed forces. He said they would “protect the freedoms we cherish,” including the “right to peacefully protest.”
Protesters are demanding that Michigan cut financial ties with companies linked to Israel. The university has allowed protesters to set up an encampment in the middle of campus.
Police helped break up a large gathering Friday evening outside a campus art museum where a dinner was being held for honorary doctorate recipients. At least one person was arrested.