2 weeks ago
Protests proceed astatine assemblage campuses
A graduation ceremonial astatine nan University of Michigan connected Saturday was concisely interrupted by dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arsenic higher acquisition institutions crossed nan state holding commencements braced for much demonstrations.
As nan commencement ceremonial sewage underway astatine Michigan Stadium successful Ann Arbor, protesters successful kaffiyeh and graduation caps unfurled Palestinian flags and posters arsenic they walked done nan aisles. They marched toward nan shape chanting: "Regents, regents, you can't hide! You are backing genocide!" nan New York Times reported.
One protestation banner read: "No universities near successful Gaza." Others were seen waving Israeli flags.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - MAY 4: Salma Hamamy carries a Flag of Palestine during a Pro-Palestinian protestation during nan University of Michigan's Spring Commencement ceremonial connected May 4, 2024 astatine Michigan Stadium successful Ann Arbor, Michigan. A group of students called for nan University of Michigan to divest from companies pinch ties to Israel during nan outpouring commencement ceremony.
Nic Antaya / Getty Images
Campus constabulary prevented nan protesters from reaching nan stage.
Above, a level was spotted flying complete nan ceremonial pinch a banner that said: "Divest from Israel now! Free Palestine".
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - MAY 4: A banner successful support of Palestine flies supra during nan University of Michigan's outpouring commencement ceremonial connected May 4, 2024 astatine Michigan Stadium successful Ann Arbor, Michigan. A group of students called for nan University of Michigan to divest from companies pinch ties to Israel during nan outpouring commencement ceremony.
Nic Antaya / Getty Images
Another level had a different message: "We guidelines pinch Israel. Jewish lives matter."
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - MAY 4: A banner successful support of Israel flies supra during nan University of Michigan's outpouring commencement ceremonial connected May 4, 2024 astatine Michigan Stadium successful Ann Arbor, Michigan. A group of students called for nan University of Michigan to divest from companies pinch ties to Israel during nan outpouring commencement ceremony.
Nic Antaya / Getty Images
U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro paused a fewer times during his remarks, saying astatine 1 point, "Ladies and gentlemen, if you tin please tie your attraction backmost to nan podium."
No arrests were reported.
Ahead of its commencement ceremony, nan University of Michigan accrued information measures – including screening and removal of banners and flags. Tickets would beryllium required for a mostly of events, CBS Detroit reported.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - MAY 4: Ari Belchinsky displays nan Flag of Israel during nan University of Michigan's Spring Commencement ceremonial connected May 4, 2024 astatine Michigan Stadium successful Ann Arbor, Michigan. A group of students called for nan University of Michigan to divest from companies pinch ties to Israel during nan outpouring commencement ceremony.
Nic Antaya / Getty Images
Laurie McCauley, Michigan's main world officer, told students and unit that nan schoolhouse respects free look but "no 1 is entitled to disrupt assemblage activities."
The assemblage has allowed protesters to group up an encampment connected field but constabulary assisted successful breaking up a ample gathering Friday night, and 1 personification was arrested.
CBS News reached retired to nan assemblage for comment.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas war sparked wide – astatine times violent – demonstrations astatine colleges and universities across nan country complete nan past fewer weeks.
In an effort to fend disconnected imaginable disruptions of last exams and graduation ceremonies, a mini number of universities stuck deals pinch protestors. The agreements astatine schools including Brown, Northwestern and Rutgers guidelines retired amid nan chaotic scenes and 2,400-plus arrests connected 46 campuses nationwide since April 17. Tent encampments and building takeovers person disrupted classes astatine immoderate schools, including Columbia and UCLA.
Deals included commitments by universities to review their investments successful Israel or perceive calls to extremity doing business pinch nan longtime U.S. ally. Many protester demands person zeroed successful connected links to nan Israeli subject as the warfare grinds connected successful Gaza.
The agreements to moreover talk divestment people a awesome displacement connected an rumor that has been arguable for years, pinch opponents of a long-running run to boycott Israel saying it veers into antisemitism. But while nan colleges person made concessions astir amnesty for protesters and backing for Middle Eastern studies, they person made nary promises astir changing their investments.
"I deliberation for immoderate universities, it mightiness beryllium conscionable a delaying maneuver to diffuse nan protests," said Ralph Young, a history professor who studies American dissent astatine Temple University successful Philadelphia. "The extremity of nan semester is happening now. And possibly by nan clip nan adjacent semester begins, location is simply a cease-fire successful Gaza."
Meanwhile, arrests of demonstrators continued elsewhere.
About a twelve protesters who refused constabulary orders to time off an encampment astatine New York University were arrested early Friday, and astir 30 much near voluntarily, NYU spokesperson John Beckman said. The schoolhouse asked metropolis constabulary to intervene, he added.
NYPD officers besides cleared an encampment astatine The New School successful Greenwich Village connected nan petition of schoolhouse administrators. No arrests were announced.
Another 132 protesters were arrested erstwhile constabulary collapsed up an encampment astatine nan State University of New York astatine New Paltz starting precocious Thursday, authorities said.
And 9 were arrested astatine nan University of Tennessee, including 7 students who Chancellor Donde Plowman said would besides beryllium sanctioned nether nan school's codification of conduct.
The activity began connected April 17 astatine Columbia, wherever student protesters built an encampment to telephone for an extremity to nan Israel-Hamas war.
Over 34,000 Palestinians person been killed successful nan conflict successful nan Gaza Strip, according to nan Health Ministry there. Israel launched its violative aft Oct. 7, erstwhile Hamas militants killed astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took astir 250 hostages successful an onslaught connected confederate Israel.
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