Northwestern University's commencement ceremony at the United Center was marked by a protest this Sunday as dozens of students walked out to express solidarity with Palestinians affected by the ongoing war in Gaza, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Wearing kaffiyehs and carrying Palestinian flags, approximately 50 graduating students chanted "free Palestine"; their exit from the event was aimed at drawing attention to the Israeli-Hamas conflict's impact on students in Gaza, where, according to protesters, no university remains standing due to bombings.

The graduates, upon exiting, were joined by family members and current students already gathered outside for a memorial where they read the names of Gazan students killed in the war and pinned red roses to a banner declaring, "No graduations in Gaza. To the martyrs of Palestine," as the report states, amidst the ceremony, a small group of counterprotesters labeled their speeches as antisemitic, but the groups remained largely separated by security and police officials. Josh Fleckner, a graduate involved in the walkout, expressed that while proud of their educational achievements, they could not ignore the suffering overseas, he conveyed this sentiment in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times.

Protesters, many associated with Students for Justice in Palestine, have called upon Northwestern to divest from any financial assets tied to Israel, and Jordan Muhammad, one of the student organizers, articulated their view that the degrees they were receiving were "stained with blood," as per the Chicago Tribune. The demonstration, which gathered over 100 participants, continued peacefully outside in a designated "free speech" area, where they circled a banner reading, "No graduation in Gaza," displaying photos and bios of casualties, while inside the United Center, the remainder of the 7,700 graduating students continued with the commencement.

Northwestern University, along with other institutions, faces challenges in navigating the tensions between free speech and avoiding discrimination: College President Michael Schill acknowledged during a congressional hearing that the school is working to revise its policies amid accusations of antisemitism and intimidation reported by Jewish students, as told to the Chicago Tribune, and despite University warnings against disruptions, the graduates participating in the protest decided the risk was worth it to make their statement—as echoed by graduate Ben Cummings, who shared this in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.

A spokesperson for Northwestern noted that commencement is a time to honor student achievements, adding that a small group of students did walk out during the ceremony; however, the institution remains incredibly proud of the Class of 2024's accomplishments, as communicated in an email statement captured by the Chicago Tribune. Across the country, other universities have faced similar protests during graduation season, highlighting the broader tensions within higher education institutions as they address concerns regarding both free speech and protection from campus discrimination.