Columbia University cancels main commencement ceremony amid protests
Columbia University Pro-Palestinian supporters continue to demonstrate from a protest encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
By Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Officials at Columbia University announced the cancellation Monday of the school’s university-wide commencement ceremony amid ongoing protests fueled by the war in Gaza.
The main ceremony was scheduled to take place on May 15. On Monday, officials said celebrations will instead focus on ceremonies held by individual schools on campus.
“Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families. They are eager to cross the stage to applause and family pride and hear from their school’s invited guest speakers,” officials said Monday. “As a result, we will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly.”
An unidentified university official said the decision was made due to security concerns, WNBC-TV reported.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters began gathering at Columbia on April 17, forming the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment,” according to the university’s student newspaper, the Columbia Spectator. They came together on the same day the university’s president appeared before Congress to testify on Columbia’s handling of antisemitism on campus.
Hundreds of people have since been arrested at the encampment and at the school’s Hamilton Hall, a building that was occupied by protestors on April 30.
University officials said Monday that they are still looking at holding another “festive event on May 15 to take the place of the large, formal ceremony.”
“These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community,” university officials said Monday, adding that they “are focused on making our graduation experience truly special.”
“We are eager to all come together for our graduates and celebrate our fellow Columbians as they, and we, look ahead to the future. We will share more in the coming days,” officials said.
Other schools have also canceled commencement ceremonies after students at colleges nationwide began staging protests in response to the war between Israel and Gaza.
Since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to The Associated Press. Israel and its supporters have attacked the protests as antisemitic while its detractors have accused Israel of using the label to silence opposition, the news agency reported.
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Members of the NYPD detain protesters from the pro-Palestinian protest encampment and Hamilton Hall where demonstrators barricaded themselves inside on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Police arrested nearly 100 people as they cleared the university of demonstrators who were issued a notice to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. University President Minouche Shafik has requested the NYPD maintain a presence on campus through at least May 17. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Pro-Palestinian supporters climb a fence during demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement attempts to bring an end to pro-Palestinian protest encampments. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Pro-Palestinian supporters confront police during demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement cleared tent encampments set up by pro-Palestinian protesters. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A police bus carries detained protesters from the pro-Palestinian protest encampment and Hamilton Hall where demonstrators barricaded themselves inside on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Police arrested nearly 100 people as they cleared the university of demonstrators who were issued a notice to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. University President Minouche Shafik has requested the NYPD maintain a presence on campus through at least May 17. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Police arrest protesters during pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement cleared tent encampments set up by pro-Palestinian protesters. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Police look on as pro-Palestinian supporters hold demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement attempts to bring an end to pro-Palestinian protest encampments. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Benches and trash bins block the entrance to Hamilton Hall where some student protesters camped on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Demonstrators from the pro-Palestine encampment barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building at Colombia University, on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia students were the first to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A demonstrator breaks the windows of the front door of the building in order to secure a chain around it to prevent authorities from entering as demonstrators from the pro-Palestine encampment barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building at Colombia University, on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia students were the first to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Chairs, desks and barricades are used to block the doors as demonstrators from the pro-Palestine encampment on Columbia's Campus barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, an academic building which has been occupied in past student movements, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia students were the first to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Student protesters camp near the entrance to Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Supporters of Israel protest beside a pro-Palestinian group outside of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A student protester waves a Palestinian flag from a balcony of Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A student protester parades a Palestinian flag outside the entrance to Hamilton Hall on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Student protesters camp on the campus of Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City. All classes at Columbia University have been held virtually today after school President Minouche Shafik announced a shift to online learning in response to recent campus unrest. (Pool/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Police arrest protesters during pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the City College of New York (CCNY) as the NYPD cracks down on protest camps at both Columbia University and CCNY on April 30, 2024 in New York City. A heavy police presence surrounded both campuses on Tuesday as local law enforcement cleared tent encampments set up by pro-Palestinian protesters. Classes at both schools have been moved virtually to online learning in response to the recent campus unrest. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Men wave an Israeli flag as pro-Palestinian supporters continue to demonstrate from a protest encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Columbia University issued a notice to the protesters asking them to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A demonstrator at the encampment established in support of Palestinians in Gaza waves the Palestinian flag at Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched as a 2 p.m. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university came and went. The students were given a suspension warning if they did not meet the deadline. Students at Columbia were the first from an elite college to erect an encampment, demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold a short rally after marching around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" in the West Lawn of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Demonstrators marched at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. Columbia was the first elite college to erect an encampment in support of Palestine, with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A man waves an Israeli flag as pro-Palestinian supporters continue to demonstrate from a protest encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Columbia University issued a notice to the protesters asking them to disband their encampment after negotiations failed to come to a resolution. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY A protestor wears the university's disciplinary notice covered over by support for Palestinians in Gaza at Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched as a 2 p.m. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university came and went. The students were warned of suspension if they did not meet the deadline. Students at Columbia were the first from an elite college to erect an encampment, demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
Police arrest nearly 300 in protests at Columbia University, CCNY Columbia faculty members protect students in the Pro-Palestinian "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" in the West Lawn of Columbia University on April 29, 2024 in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched around the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed. The students were given a suspension warning if they do not meet the deadline. Columbia was the first elite college to erect an encampment in support of Palestine with students demanding that the school divest from Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)