University of Chicago commencement disrupted by student protest over Gaza war

Students at the University of Chicago protested and left their graduation ceremony because the school did not give diplomas to four students who were part of a pro-Palestinian protest on campus. The protest camp was removed by the university police on May 7. During the graduation ceremony, some protesters tried to enter closed areas on campus. The university claims that a few protesters behaved violently, and one person not from the university was arrested for battery. The ceremony was disrupted when students walked out, holding signs, Palestinian flags, and scarves. The four students' diplomas are being held back while the university investigates complaints about the protest. The students were told via email that their diplomas were being withheld, but they were not given specific details about the complaints. Many students and faculty members signed a petition asking the university to give the diplomas to the students. The students who walked out of the ceremony were protesting against the war in Gaza. They wore Palestinian symbols and chanted slogans. The students whose diplomas were withheld expressed concerns about the situation in Palestine and Gaza. They believe that the focus should be on helping those affected by the conflict. Similar protests have taken place at other universities in the U.S. and Europe. The protesters want to draw attention to what they see as a genocide against Palestinians in the conflict with Israel. The university initially allowed the protest camp but later decided to remove it due to safety concerns. The university has not commented on the diploma issue. Thousands of people have signed a petition asking the university to give the diplomas to the students, and some city council members have also supported this request.