The University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles has decided to cancel its main graduation ceremony on May 10 due to safety concerns. This decision comes amidst ongoing protests at various campuses across the United States in response to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

At Emory University in Atlanta, 28 demonstrators were arrested after refusing to leave, while Columbia University in New York City extended a deadline for clearing an encampment on its campus. USC announced earlier this month that a Muslim student, Asna Tabassum, would no longer deliver a valedictorian speech due to unspecified security threats.

Protesters at Emory cited their support for Palestinians and opposition to a local police training center called "Cop City." The protest at Emory became confrontational, with demonstrators clashing with police who used chemical irritants for crowd control.

Similar protests have erupted at other universities, including Columbia, where police were called in to clear encampments resulting in multiple arrests. Activists are calling for universities to divest from companies linked to Israel's actions in Gaza, accusing them of supporting genocide.

Some of these protests have been accused of antisemitism, leading to concerns among Jewish students about their safety on campus. The protests have gained national and international attention, with Minnesota Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar joining the movement at Columbia University.

In other developments, President Biden faced protests during an official event in Syracuse, New York, while campuses like Northwestern University and Georgetown University saw student demonstrations against US policies related to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

This wave of protests highlights the complex and contentious nature of the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, as well as broader issues of free speech, campus safety, and activism on university campuses across the United States.