Columbia University cancels main graduation ceremony due to Gaza protests

Washington:

Columbia, the prestigious New York university at the center of U.S. campus protests against the war in Gaza, announced on Monday that it has canceled its main student graduation ceremony next week.

The Ivy League institution said it would “forgo the university-wide ceremony that is scheduled for May 15” and hold a series of smaller events.

“We are determined to give our students the celebration they deserve and want,” Columbia announced, saying that “smaller-scale school celebrations are more meaningful for them and their families.”

“We will focus our resources on these school ceremonies and keeping them safe, respectful and running smoothly. A major effort is already underway to achieve this goal,” the university stated.

Demonstrations against Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza have rocked campuses across the United States for weeks, prompting crackdowns, mass arrests and a White House directive to restore order.

Last week, police evicted protesters occupying a Columbia University building and evacuated an unauthorized camp on the campus lawn.

President Joe Biden broke his silence on the protests on Thursday, insisting that “order must prevail.”

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