MAY 9 • 2024 | 33
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ozens of students 
unfurled Palestinian 
flags and banners 
at the main commencement 
ceremony of the University of 
Michigan.
Of several graduation 
disruptions across the 
country, U-M experienced 
the biggest when dozens 
of students unfurled large 
Palestinian flags and marched 
toward the stage. According 
to the New York Times, they 
chanted, “Regents, regents, 
you can’t hide! You are 
funding genocide!” The 
public university is governed 
by a board of regents.
The U-M protest took place 
during a speech by Carlos 
Del Toro, secretary of the U.S. 
Navy, the Detroit Free Press 
reported. “It is indeed these 
young men and women who 
will protect the freedoms that 
we so cherish as Americans 

in our Constitution of 
the United States, which 
includes the right to protest 
peacefully,” he said, according 
to the report, that said the 
protest ended without any 
arrests.
Above the ceremony, 
held at the U-M stadium, 
an airplane streamed a pro-
Israel banner which read, 
“WE STAND WITH ISRAEL. 
JEWISH LIVES MATTER.”
Pro-Israel expressions 
were also visible on many 
campuses, with some students 
decorating their caps with the 
Israeli flag. 
But pro-Palestinian 
demonstrations erupted 
during the first major 
weekend of graduation 
ceremonies across U.S. college 
campuses. In each case, 
graduation ceremonies went 
on as planned.
A single student staged a 

provocative demonstration 
during a ceremony at 
Northeastern University, 
raising hands stained with red 
paint as a symbol of violence 
in Gaza. And a Palestinian 
student speaker used her 
speech to lambaste Israel’s 
war against Hamas at the 
University of Toledo.
The handful of dramatic 
but brief interruptions that 
took place over the weekend 
offer concrete examples of 
what kinds of protests schools 
might expect over the next 
several weeks, as thousands of 
colleges and universities hold 
their annual commencement 
exercises.
Several schools, including 
Columbia University, cited 
upcoming commencements 
as a reason to clear out 
pro-Palestinian protest 
encampments, saying that 
students and families deserve 

a ceremony free from 
interruption.
One, the University of 
Southern California, canceled 
its main ceremony. That 
decision had come after it 
had selected a pro-Palestinian 
valedictorian, then barred her 
from speaking following what 
it said was pressure from 
Jewish critics.
Schools had planned for 
potential interruptions, 
training volunteers on how 
to redirect protesters and 
reiterating rules to students 
and guests ahead of time.
The University of Florida, 
whose chancellor has taken 
a firm stance against protests 
that interrupt university 
activities, placed signs outside 
the stadium where graduation 
took place saying that protests 
were not permitted inside, 
according to posts on social 
media. 

U-M Graduation Disrupted
by Pro-Palestinian Protest

PHILISSA CRAMER JTA

OUR COMMUNITY

A student holds an 
Israeli flag to counter a 
pro-Palestinian protest.

PHOTOS BY NIC ANTAYA/GETTY IMAGES/JTA

A protester 
carries a 
Palestinian flag.