The University of Southern California (USC) has cancelled its graduation ceremony due to ongoing campus protests in support of Palestinians in Gaza, reflecting growing unrest across the United States.
Canceled Ceremony
USC, located in Los Angeles, announced it was disbanding the event due to “new safety measures.” The decision follows weeks of protests on college campuses across the country as students and activists continue to express their opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza.
Campus Protests
Universities have witnessed a surge in protests and encampments with demonstrators rallying for the Palestinian cause. These protests have led to hundreds of arrests and heightened security measures on campuses.
At Columbia University in New York City, where protests began last week, university officials were forced to extend their negotiations with student leaders after initially setting a Thursday night deadline for an end to the encampment. The deadline was later dropped as talks were showing progress.
Security Concerns
At Emory University in Atlanta, authorities arrested 28 protesters on Thursday after they refused to vacate an area set up for commencement ceremonies. According to Emory’s police force, demonstrators “pushed past” officers, resulting in a response with chemical irritants as part of crowd control measures.
Atlanta Police also confirmed the use of chemical irritants, but denied reports that rubber bullets had been fired at protesters.
Continued Unrest
The spread of protests and the resulting disruptions indicate growing tensions on college campuses regarding the Gaza conflict. While university administrations are adopting varied approaches to handling the protests, these developments highlight the challenges of balancing campus safety with the right to peaceful assembly and protest.
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