The College of Southern California has introduced it’ll cancel its predominant commencement ceremony over safety considerations.
In latest weeks, pro-Palestine protests have erupted throughout USC’s campus, inflicting vital safety dangers on campus.
Most of the protests have been organized by USC Divest from Loss of life Coalition, a corporation that’s demanding USC to chop monetary ties with Israel.
After canceling the commencement ceremony, USC wrote to college students, “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.”
The protests on USC’s campus grew bigger final week after USC determined to tell valedictorian Asna Tabassum that she wouldn’t be allowed to ship a speech at commencement, citing potential campus safety dangers.
Tabassum believes she was nixed from delivering the speech as a result of her vocal help of Palestinians in Gaza.
After going through scrutiny over its choice to cancel its valedictorian speech – and in the future after greater than 90 folks have been arrested at a Professional-Palestinian protest on campus – USC is canceling its predominant commencement ceremony that had been deliberate for Might 10. https://t.co/HMRrLFPfp3 pic.twitter.com/lr5XIrOrLo
— ABC7 Eyewitness Information (@ABC7) April 25, 2024
Per The Asscoiated Press:
The College of Southern California canceled its predominant stage commencement ceremony Thursday as school officers throughout the U.S. anxious that ongoing campus protests towards the Israel-Hamas conflict might disrupt Might graduation ceremonies.
Some universities known as in police to interrupt up the demonstrations, leading to ugly scuffles and dozens of arrests, whereas others appeared content material to attend out scholar protests as the ultimate days of the semester ticked down.
USC introduced the cancellation of the Might 10 ceremony a day after greater than 90 protesters have been arrested on campus. The college says it’ll nonetheless host dozens of graduation occasions, together with all the standard particular person faculty graduation ceremonies the place college students cross a stage and obtain their diplomas.
Tensions have been already excessive after the college canceled a deliberate graduation speech by the college’s pro-Palestinian valedictorian, citing security considerations.
Over 90 protesters have been arrested simply in the future earlier than USC introduced the cancellation of the commencement ceremony.
WATCH:
#BREAKING: The College of Southern California (USC) has CANCELLED their graduation ceremony for graduates, citing “safety concerns.”
That is as a result of widespread pro-Palestine protests on campus.
60,000 folks historically attend the occasion. pic.twitter.com/x77wtqyVqe
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) April 25, 2024
