Anti-Israel protesters disrupt UMich commencement and post-grad brunch
One anti-Israel student group wrote: ‘No graduation as usual when our university funds the murder of over 34,000 Palestinians.’
The chants included: ‘Israel bombs, U of M pays. How many kids have you killed today?’
Anti-Israel protesters demonstrated at the University of Michigan’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, holding Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against the Jewish State.
Tens of thousands attended the school’s commencement at Michigan Stadium while anti-Israel graduating students attempted to disrupt the occasion.
Students wearing keffiyehs could be seen on X marching and chanting “Disclose! Divest! We will not stop, we will not rest!”
Graduation season has begun-fertile ground for Hamas supporters to ruin everyone else’s once-in-a-lifetime experience. WATCH keffiyyeh-clad @UMich graduates chant for the destruction of Israel. When police arrive, the crowd cheers 💪 pic.twitter.com/b8Yqv9oiiO
— Canary Mission (@canarymission) May 5, 2024
[RELATED: NO FOOD FOR YOU: Hungry Hamas-endorsed Columbia building occupiers beg administrators to feed them]
Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, also known as SafeUMich, which is the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, wrote: “No graduation as usual when our university funds the murder of over 34,000 Palestinians. No graduation as usual when our university profits from genocide. No graduation as usual when there are no universities left standing in Gaza. No graduation as usual while our administration remains complicit in genocide. DIVEST NOW.”
SafeUMich also posted a video showing keffiyeh-wearing students holding Palestinian flags and chanting: “Israel bombs, U of M pays. How many kids have you killed today?”
An Instagram video from SafeUMich also purports to show protesters disrupting the post-graduation brunch hosted by the university, marching and shouting: “UM wants divestment now, if we don’t get it, shut it down.”
[RELATED: Columbia cancels university-wide graduation ceremony following campus occupation]
UMich states that “Commencement ceremonies have been the site of free expression and peaceful protest for decades and will likely continue to be. The University of Michigan does not attempt to prevent peaceful protests or other speech protected under the First Amendment. Many ceremonies will have a designated area for protests outside the venue.”
A plane could be seen flying above the stadium before the graduation ceremony began, trailing the banner message: “We stand with Israel jewishlivesmatter.us.”
Campus Reform has reached out to the University of Michigan and SafeUMich for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
