The University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles has made the decision to cancel its main graduation ceremony on May 10th due to safety concerns, amidst nationwide protests sparked by the Israel-Gaza conflict.
This move follows similar demonstrations on campuses across the US, including Atlanta’s Emory University, where 28 protesters were arrested for refusing to leave, and New York City’s Columbia University, which dropped a deadline for ending an encampment on its campus.
At USC, protests erupted earlier in the month, resulting in at least 93 arrests for trespassing and the dismantling of an encampment.
Additionally, USC faced controversy when it announced that Muslim student Asna Tabassum would no longer be allowed to deliver a speech as valedictorian due to unspecified security threats.
Emory University demonstrators expressed solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to a police training centre in Atlanta, referred to as “Cop City.” Emory’s police force reported that protesters breached barriers set up for commencement and deployed chemical irritants in response to objects thrown at officers.
One protester, identified as Noelle McAfee, chair of Emory’s philosophy department, said that the protest was peaceful until police intervened.
The wave of protests on US campuses stems from calls for universities to divest from companies supporting Israel’s actions in Gaza. Israel faces accusations of genocide brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice, an accusation it denies.
Chisato Mimura, a law student at Yale University, criticised President Joe Biden and school officials for funding industries involved in the conflict, alleging complicity in genocide.
While some protests have been accused of antisemitism, Jewish students have expressed both support and concern.
At Columbia University, where the protests originated, the administration had set a deadline for ending disruptions but later dropped it amid ongoing negotiations.
Minnesota Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar visited the campus, denouncing the crackdown on protesters and emphasising the movement’s growth.
She said, “This is a movement that started with only 70 students, and because Columbia University decided to crack down on them and violate their First Amendment [rights], this has now spread nationally and internationally.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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