Small pro-Palestinian protests held Saturday as school commencements are held | EUROtoday

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Small pro-Palestinian protests popped up sporadically Saturday as faculties and universities held graduation ceremonies, together with dozens of graduating college students at Virginia Commonwealth University who walked out on Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s tackle.

While a number of the estimated 100 college students and relations who left in the course of the Republican governor’s speech confirmed assist for Palestinians, others held indicators signaling opposition to Youngkin’s insurance policies on schooling, in keeping with WRIC-TV.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a small group of demonstrators staged what gave the impression to be a silent protest throughout graduation at Camp Randall Stadium. A photograph posted by the Wisconsin State Journal confirmed about six folks strolling by means of the rear of the stadium, with two carrying a Palestinian flag.

Marc Lovicott, a spokesperson for campus police, stated the group, which he believed had been college students as a result of they had been sporting caps and robes, “was kind of guided out but they left on their own.” No arrests had been made.

The demonstration got here after pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus agreed Friday to completely dismantle their 2-week-old encampment and never disrupt commencement ceremonies in return for the chance to attach with “decision-makers” who management college investments by July 1. The college agreed to extend assist for students and college students affected by wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Saturday’s occasions had been much less dramatic than what occurred on different campuses Friday, when police made dozens of arrests as pro-Palestinian protest encampments had been dismantled on the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Those actions got here hours after police tear-gassed demonstrators and took down an analogous camp on the University of Arizona.

The Associated Press has recorded a minimum of 75 cases since April 18 through which arrests had been made at U.S. campus protests. Nearly 2,900 folks have been arrested at 57 faculties and universities. The figures are based mostly on AP reporting and statements from faculties and regulation enforcement companies.

At VCU, Youngkin, who additionally acquired an honorary doctorate of humane letters at Saturday’s graduation, didn’t seem to deal with the scholars who left the occasion.

“The world needs your music,” Young stated throughout his speech. “You, all of you, will be the symphony. Make it a masterpiece.”

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Associated Press writers Rick Callahan in Indianapolis and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.