Pro-Palestinian student escorted out of Georgia State University graduation

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - A pro-Palestinian graduate was escorted out of Georgia State University's (GSU) commencement ceremony after appearing to stage a protest of Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.

Video of the person, identified on university video of the event as Bisan Falasteen Hurrah Hamid, appears to show her walking across the stage during Wednesday morning's ceremony while holding a traditional Arab scarf known as keffiyeh, stretching it tightly across her back while shouting.

Her words are unclear, but raucous cheers and claps can be heard erupting from the crowd as at least two senior faculty members, including a man who appears to be Chancellor Sonny Perdue and another person who is likely GSU Public Health Dean Rodney Lyn Health, on the stage clap and smile in apparent approval.

Hamid is identified as a Master of Public Health graduate on the official video.

A separate bystander video that circulated on social media appears to capture the moments some time after Hamid's on-stage protest when security guards escort her out of the facility with her keffiyeh draped over her shoulder, and a flag in her hands. The crowd can still be heard cheering.

The university said Thursday that a graduate, whom it did not name, attempted to bring a flag on to the stage, but agreed to hand it over to security before walking across the stage in-line with university regulations.

After having the flag returned, the university said she "proceeded to the center aisle and was disruptive and removed." Another graduate took a microphone from the university band "and was also peacefully escorted out," it said.

"Per commencement procedure, flags are not permitted during the ceremonies but stoles and other garments displaying national or cultural symbols are permitted. Students have been permitted to wear such items across the stage during Wednesday and Thursday’s ceremonies," the school said in a statement.

"The university has reiterated GSU’s procedures to its outside security firm, commencement volunteers and others who interact with students and their families. The university has addressed two isolated incidents where a garment worn by a guest and a graduate were mistaken for flags," it added.

It is unclear if the university was referring to the two incidents laid out in its statement.

- University-run police training program

Some on social media have accused the university of bias due to its Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange police training program, which its website says has trained hundreds of Israeli police officers.

A quote attributed to an Israeli police commissioner said officers trained on "counter-terrorism, forensic sciences, bomb disposal, community policing and more recently, leadership training."

The program has also trained personnel from the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the UK.

Israel has waged a military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Hamas which killed some 1,200 people.

More than 34,600 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 77,800 others injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.