USC calls off main graduation ceremony after Gaza protests escalate
The University of Southern California called off its main commencement ceremony on Thursday, a week after canceling the speech of a pro-Palestinian valedictorian and hours after 93 protesters were arrested on the Los Angeles campus.
USC students will still have their names called and receive diplomas on stage at events specific to their academic programs. But a traditional congregation of 65,000 guests and students across academic disciplines is off as the private university navigates increasingly intense fallout from the war in Gaza.
University leaders said in an announcement that increased security protocols would make it untenable to check in tens of thousands of guests in time for an 8:30 a.m. event next month.
“We understand that this is disappointing; however, we are adding many new activities and celebrations to make this commencement academically meaningful, memorable, and uniquely USC, including places to gather with family, friends, faculty, and staff, the celebratory releasing of the doves, and performances by the Trojan Marching Band,” the university said in an announcement.
The cancellation adds to the strife simmering over Israel's war in Gaza on American college campuses, where protests have proliferated since dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at Columbia University earlier this week.
The relationship between pro-Palestinian students and university leaders was already strained when the commencement address of Asna Tabassum, a valedictorian with pro-Palestinian social media activity, was canceled under pressure from pro-Israel groups over what the university said were safety concerns. Afterward, USC canceled other addresses.
Students on Wednesday erected an encampment on campus in protest of Israel, joining similar demonstrations at several other universities. The Los Angeles Police Department arrested 93 protesters and cleared the campus the same night, but another encampment sprang up at UCLA the following morning.
Gov. Gavin Newsom told reporters Thursday that he was not aware of the details of the police enforcement but that he had met with the Office of Emergency Services and his team on the issue. He also said he met with Michael V. Drake, president of the public University of California system.
"We're very mindful of what's going on in the campuses and want to maintain people's rights and protests, at the same time do so peacefully without any hate," Newsom said. "I just want to avoid a lot of what we're seeing in other parts of the country."
