One more pro-Palestinian protester arrested on University of Utah commencement day

University of Utah graduates who walked out of their commencement ceremony join a pro-Palestinian protest outside of the Jon M. Huntsman Center on May 2, 2024 (Alixel Cabrera/Utah News Dispatch)

One protester was arrested before a planned rally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday outside of the University of Utah’s Jon M. Huntsman Center.

While family and friends of the U.’s class of 2024 walked into the event center with flowers and gifts to celebrate graduates during the school’s commencement ceremony, another group planted itself on the lawn in front of the arena holding signs that read, “free Palestine.”

It was the third instance of  demonstrations in Utah this week amid a wave of protests nationwide. About 30 college campuses across the country have seen massive protests, with students setting up large encampments to protest the Israel-Hamas war. Some have turned violent. 

While Monday night’s protest at the University of Utah resulted in 20 arrests after protesters were ordered to break down encampments, Thursday night’s demonstration was largely peaceful. 

While about two dozen people gathered, and before any chants started, University of Utah Police arrested one of the organizers. A school spokesperson said the protester was not affiliated with the university and was suspected of illegal behavior from Monday night’s protest, similar to another organizer who was arrested Tuesday ahead of a planned rally and faced three charges from Monday night for alleged trespassing, disorderly conduct and failure to disperse.

“I didn’t do anything,” the organizer said while being escorted by about seven officers on Thursday. 

A few minutes after that arrest, the school’s commencement ceremony started inside of the arena, where more than 8,600 students were set to graduate and where some planned on walking out during the University of Utah President Taylor Randall’s opening speech. 

As soon as Randall started speaking, some people in the crowd shouted “free Palestine,” which was followed by a sea of boos.

“These have been years of hard academic work from your peers,” Randall said. He warned “those who continue to protest will have to leave or you will be removed,” which prompted many graduates to clap in celebration.

About a dozen graduates walked out and joined organizers from the student club Mecha de U de U, a socialist organization that advocates for the rights of people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, and members of the Utah Party for Socialism and Liberation outside. 

Amanda Azar, a 23 year-old who was graduating in international studies and human rights, was one. Wearing her black graduation stole with the red U. logo on the sleeves, she said she doesn’t want to wear U. attire anymore, as she didn’t feel proud of the school’s administration and how it handled the Monday night protest in which 19 people were arrested for camping on the school grounds.

On Monday, what was a peaceful protest asking the university to cut ties with companies that support Israel in its war on Gaza, took a violent turn when hundreds of officers dismantled the encampment and tackled some demonstrators to arrest them. 

“I just want to make it clear to Taylor Randall that we do not support any of that, and we do not stand with him or support him if he is unwilling to support us,” Azar said.

Randall issued a statement on Tuesday saying that while students and faculty members were welcome to express their views “legally and peacefully,” they didn’t have the right to violate the law or school policy, such as setting up structures or camp overnight on school property.

Azar, who is Palestinian, was accompanied by her family in the protest outside. She didn’t feel bad about missing the ceremony, she said, but she was disappointed with the actions that led her to skip her graduation.

“There are people missing out on their lives and missing out on their families. I don’t want to hear any supporters of genocide speak. I don’t want to hear what they have to say,” she said.

For her, it was important that her little brother, standing next to her, could see her taking a stand. She could tell her family was proud of her for it, she said. But, at the same time, she was disheartened to hear most of her peers boo her protest in the arena.

“The people who have students attending this university should be aware that this is a university that will not hesitate to put your children in harm’s way if your children disagree with them,” Azar said. “I think that the university calling the police in riot gear to come and brutalize their students is abhorrent and inexcusable.” 

Romney joins efforts to penalize convicted protesters

The University of Utah demonstrations are part of a movement spread in many American campuses that has been condemned by many Republican elected officials. 

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-UT, joined 18 other Republicans running No Bailouts for Campus Criminals Act, a bill that would make any person convicted of any offense under any federal or state law in connection with a protest at a college or university ineligible for federal student loan relief.

Romney, who has opposed President Joe Biden’s initiatives to forgive student loans, said those policies were already “unfair” and irresponsible.”

“No one should especially support a taxpayer bailout for students who engage in the criminal behavior we’re seeing on college campuses across the nation right now,” Romney said in a news release. “Our legislation ensures that students convicted of a crime while protesting at our institutions of higher education are ineligible for federal student debt relief.” 

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