US university cancels main commencement ceremony amid Gaza protests

By Muhammed Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - The University of Southern California (USC) has made a statement regarding the cancellation of its main commencement ceremony, citing safety concerns due to a high number of guests.

The university on Thursday said it will not be able to host the main stage ceremony that brings 65,000 people together, noting: “With the new safety measures in place this year, the time needed to process the large number of guests coming to campus will increase substantially.”

However, 23 satellite graduation ceremonies at USC schools and colleges will proceed as scheduled, along with smaller departmental receptions.

The decision came amid nationwide unrest due to Israel's ongoing offensive against Palestinians in Gaza. On Wednesday, 93 students and off-campus activists were arrested at a pro-Palestinian encampment at USC.

Previously, the university canceled the traditional valedictorian speech by Asna Tabassum after opposition from pro-Israel groups.

The pro-Palestine student protests in the US started a few days ago at Columbia University and spread to other universities and colleges.

Student-led protests demanding that universities condemn Israel's genocidal war on Gaza and divest from Israeli firms have continued to spread, with new encampments being erected in the face of law enforcement crackdowns.

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which Tel Aviv said killed around 1,200 people. More than 34,300 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 77,300 injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.