Commencement ceremonies are held at colleges and universities across the United States On Israel-Hamas War, some school administrations have taken steps to curb disruptions during their commencement activities.
The University of Michigan’s commencement took place early Saturday morning with few hiccups. Ahead of the ceremony, school staff and security officials said they were ready to respond and that interrupting commencement would not be considered free speech.
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Northeastern University
In Boston, commencement ceremonies for Northeastern University got off to a quiet start Sunday morning at Fenway Park.
Some students waved Palestinian flags, but they were dotted with flags of India, the United States and other countries. The graduate students held their ceremony first, while the undergraduate ceremony was scheduled for the afternoon.
Last month, police arrested about 100 protesters when they broke up an encampment on the Northeast Boston campus.
University of Michigan
As tens of thousands of people gathered at Michigan Stadium on Saturday at the University of Michigan, police officers stood by as some graduates carried Palestinian flags and shouted pro-Palestinian messages. One banner said, “There are no universities in Gaza.”
The protests left the stage and didn’t stop the nearly two-hour show. But U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro paused a few times during the remarks, at one point saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, if you could please turn your attention to the stage, thank you.”
Del Toro administered the oath of office to the graduates of the armed forces. “We will defend the freedoms we value most,” including the “right to peaceful protest,” he said.
Protesters are calling for Michigan to sever financial ties to any organizations linked to Israel. The university has allowed the protesters to set up camp in the middle of the campus.
Police helped break up a large crowd Friday night outside a campus art museum where a dinner was being held for honorees. At least one person was arrested.
