USC Cancels Main Commencement Ceremony, Citing Safety Concerns, Will Hold Smaller Events

deadline.com:

Citing safety concerns following escalating protests, USC announced today it has canceled the “main stage” commencement ceremony that had been planned for May 10 and will require tickets for people to attend any other commencement activities.

The university will continue to hold “dozens” of smaller commencement events, including the individual school ceremonies — such as that for the School of Cinematic Arts — in which graduates are announced and walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. “To ensure we host commencement activities and celebrate our graduates safely, we will be implementing additional security measures,” reads a message from the university. “These include ticketing of all commencement events taking place on May 8-11 and directing all campus access through specific points of entry.” Details on the ticketing process were expected to be posted online by Tuesday.

The announcement came one day after nearly 100 people were arrested on campus following a daylong “occupation” by pro-Palestinian protesters in Alumni Park, the site of the annual main commencement ceremony.

USC is a private campus, and has rules in place barring people from erecting tents, hanging signs or camping. The protest was also fueled in part by USC’s decision to prevent valedictorian Asna Tabassum from speaking at the commencement ceremony following complaints about online posts critics called antisemitic, including a call for the abolition of Israel.