Clad in caps and gowns, a cohort from the University of Chicago made headlines this weekend, but not for their academic achievements. Dozens of students staged a walkout during the university's 538th convocation ceremony on Saturday to protest the withholding of diplomas from four peers implicated in a pro-Palestinian protest last month. According to the Chicago Tribune, the demonstration swelled into a march across the campus and ended in a confrontation with police, which led to the arrest of a non-affiliated individual.

While the majority of graduates left the scene diplomas in hand, the university has leveraged its academic clout against the four seniors pending the outcome of disciplinary reviews stemming from allegations of their involvement in disruptive conduct. Despite damp weather, protesters made their voices heard with chants like "Stop Genocide," as reported by NBC Chicago. Emotions ran high among the protestors, with one such graduate, Zero Abdelhamit, claiming, "The least I can do is stand out here and say enough is enough. UChicago give them their diplomas, let them graduate."

The University of Chicago stood by its decision, citing that the encampment had led to formal complaints and allegedly violated university policies. A spokesperson for the university conveyed that a process is in place to review such complaints. However, those assembled bore a message of solidarity that extended far across the Atlantic, connecting their plight with that of students in Gaza whose education has been disrupted or destroyed.

Amidst the controversy, allegations arose that the protests and the encampment were perceived as hateful towards the Jewish community. "It feels so sad because I feel like this shows antisemitism," lamented Valeria Frank, a Jewish student at the university. Yinam Cohen, the Consul General of Israel to the Midwest, praised the institution's stance against what he termed "Jew hatred,” in a statement to NBC Chicago. The university reaffirmed its commitment to free speech in their ceremony resolution, all the while ensuring that festivities continued throughout the day.

The protest reached its peak when tensions between demonstrators and police escalated, with officers deploying pepper spray and a woman being forcefully detained. The narrative of academic repression struck a chord with the crowd, as senior Kelly Hui, whose degree was also withheld, told the Chicago Tribune, "I'm so proud and honored to stand with all of you today. This is my education. The university is trying to repress and scare us."