Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Set Diplomas Ablaze at Columbia University Commencement
Following a graduation ceremony at Columbia University, demonstrators advocating for Palestinian rights ignited their diplomas in protest. The act was in response to the institution's financial investments and research collaborations associated with Israel.
Columbia University is experiencing intense criticism from both students and alumni following its decision to comply with demands made by Trump. This decision came after the revocation of $400 million in federal funding and threats of additional cuts, prompted by the university’s handling of extensive protests against the Israeli government.
Demonstrators convened outside the graduation ceremony on Wednesday, vocally demanding the liberation of Palestine while displaying a Palestinian flag bearing the inscription ‘Free Mahmoud Khalil.’
Khalil, a Columbia University alumnus and Palestinian activist known for organizing nationwide campus protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza last year, was taken into custody in New York on March 8.
Protesters, braving the rain and accompanied by the rhythmic beat of drums, vocally expressed their sentiments with chants of “Free, free Palestine,” and accusations of “You’re committing genocide.”
Images from the demonstration depicted students setting their diplomas ablaze in protest, while others tore theirs to shreds with defiance, triumphantly holding the fragmented pieces aloft.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) intervened to extinguish the fire and successfully detained an individual in connection with the incident.
Numerous American universities have recently experienced a wave of protests condemning what demonstrators describe as a war of genocide in Gaza, as well as criticizing the United States’ military and political backing of the Israeli government.
Two weeks ago, a group of student demonstrators staged an occupation of a library at Columbia University, leading to numerous arrests as university officials committed to stronger measures against on-campus protests.
Trump has initiated actions to deport non-citizen university activists linked to pro-Palestine protests that significantly impacted the United States last spring.
Officials within the Trump administration have charged these students with being “adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests” of the United States, in response to their criticism of Israel’s prolonged military actions in the Gaza Strip, which they have described as genocidal against Palestinians.
