University Safety Concerns: USC Cancels Graduation Amid Israel-Gaza Protests

In the midst of protests over the Israel-Gaza conflict, the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles has made the tough call to cancel its big graduation ceremony set for May 10, citing worries about safety. This decision comes as similar protests are breaking out on campuses all over the United States.

Over in Atlanta, things got heated at Emory University where 28 protestors got arrested on Thursday for refusing to leave. And in New York City, Columbia University had initially set a deadline for clearing out an encampment on its grounds, but they later backed down on that.

USC explained that holding the usual main stage ceremony, which usually brings in around 65,000 students, families, and friends to the campus, just isn’t doable right now.

Earlier this month, USC made another tough call by saying that a Muslim student named Asna Tabassum wouldn’t be able to give her valedictorian speech due to some unspecified security threats.

At Emory University, protestors were speaking out in support of Palestinians and against a police training center in Atlanta known as “Cop City.” When authorities moved to dismantle the encampment, clashes broke out between protestors and police, and they ended up using chemical irritants to try to control the situation.

These protests are all about pushing universities to stop investing in companies connected to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Protestors claim that these investments indirectly support the weapons being used in the conflict. However, some of these protests have been accused of being anti-Semitic, which has made some Jewish students feel uneasy.

In response, some universities have tried to take action, like setting deadlines for protestors to clear out. Despite the tensions, there have been efforts to talk things out and keep the dialogue going at different campuses.

While protests rage on across the country, the Israel-Gaza conflict is still going strong, with casualties piling up on both sides.

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