Pro-Palestinian protests disrupt graduation at Colombian University
The leaders of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, expressing their disappointment in the way the Pro-Palestinian encampment on campus had to be broken up and assured current students that the protests would not impact graduation.
“We were disappointed that we had to take action this morning regarding protesters, including many who are not members of the Carolina community, who violated state law and University policies that provide for peaceful demonstration,” Interim Chancellor Lee H. Roberts and Provost J. Christopher Clemens wrote.
Their note said while university leaders had been engaged in “constructive conversations” with protest organizers over the weekend, “that changed Sunday evening when protesters backtracked on their commitment to comply with these [reasonable time, manner and place] policies,” and ended the university’s “attempts at constructive dialogue.”
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University officials also assured students and families that their commencement ceremony would take place as planned, writing “The Class of 2024 had both their senior year of high school and their first year at Carolina severely disrupted by the pandemic. We want to reassure the Class of 2024 that commencement will be a joyous day for them and their loved ones and that the Carolina community near and far will celebrate their accomplishments.”
