The College of Southern California has introduced it’s canceling its main commencement ceremony after anti-Israel protesters had been current on campus.
The ceremony was initially deliberate for Could 10, 2024.
USC protesters turned violent in the course of the demonstration, resulting in police “bringing out their batons,” wrote conservative consultant Collin Rugg.
HAPPENING NOW: Mass mayhem erupts on faculty campuses throughout america as pro-Palestinian protests intensify.
Columbia, Harvard, USC, the College of Texas at Austin and others are flooded with protesters.
Police at USC are pulling out their batons as a result of… pic.twitter.com/D35wVTCiZ8
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 24, 2024
“With the brand new safety measures put in place this 12 months, the time wanted to course of the massive variety of visitors arriving on campus will improve considerably,” USC stated on its web site. “Because of this, we won’t be able to host the principle stage ceremony that historically brings 65,000 college students, households and associates to our campus on the identical time and through a brief window from 8:30 to 10 a.m.”
The opening ceremonies for particular person colleges will nonetheless happen between Could 8 and 11.
“As in previous years, the college will host dozens of graduation occasions, together with the entire conventional college graduation ceremonies the place college students stroll the stage, have their names introduced, take photographs and obtain their diplomas,” the college defined. “In line with custom, we’ll host all doctoral ceremonies, particular celebrations and departmental actions and receptions.”
The announcement follows the college's announcement that valedictorian Asna Tabassum is not going to be allowed to ship the speech.
Tabassum was eliminated as a graduation speaker after she posted anti-Semitic propaganda on social media.
“In his social media biography, the Valedictorian hyperlinks to a curated media web page that calls Zionism a 'racist settler-colonial ideology' and advocates the 'complete abolition' of Israel,” Trojans for Israel stated in a press release.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Educational Affairs Andrew Guzman stated, “Whereas it’s disappointing, custom should give option to security. This determination shouldn’t be solely essential to hold our campus and college students secure, however is in step with the elemental authorized obligation — together with the expectations of federal regulators — that universities act to guard college students and hold our campus group secure.”
“To be clear: this determination has nothing to do with free speech,” USC added. “There isn’t a free speech for me to talk originally. The query is how finest to maintain the campus secure and safe, interval.”
Breaking – USC valedictorian Asna Tabassum WILL NOT be allowed to talk throughout graduation after an outcry erupted after she made an anti-Semitic social media submit on her Instagram account.
h/t @JWheelertv pic.twitter.com/VhilgFpFYp
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) April 15, 2024
