The graduation ceremony of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Affairs at City University of New York witnessed a wave of loud protests, as a large number of graduates interrupted the speech of former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. This student action came as an expression of categorical rejection of Greenfield's political stances, especially those related to her tenure in President Joe Biden's administration, which was characterized by broad support for Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.
During Greenfield's speech, student chants rose inside the hall, and Palestinian flags and banners condemning the war were raised, clearly disrupting the ceremony. Student sources confirmed that the protest was not fleeting, but continued for more than 40 consecutive minutes, as participants insisted on delivering their message rejecting the honoring of figures who contributed to shaping US foreign policies supporting the occupation.
The protesters raised slogans demanding an immediate cessation of the war and an end to all forms of military and political support provided by the United States to Israel. Students also renewed their demands for the university administration to respond to the escalating academic movement, which calls for divestment from companies involved in supporting the Israeli war effort or those that profit from the continuation of the conflict in the Palestinian territories.
The organizers of the protest revealed proactive steps they took before the ceremony, including launching a collective petition demanding that the college administration replace Greenfield with another speaker whose name is not associated with controversial policies. The organizers explained that hosting the former ambassador represents a disregard for the feelings of thousands of students who reject human rights violations in Gaza, considering her presence on the graduation platform to be inconsistent with the civic values taught by the college.
Student criticism focused primarily on Greenfield's role in the UN Security Council, specifically Washington's repeated use of the veto against international draft resolutions calling for a ceasefire. Protesters believe that these diplomatic positions directly contributed to prolonging human suffering in the Strip and providing political cover for the continuation of military operations that have left thousands of civilian casualties.
The interruption lasted for more than 40 minutes, in an expression of rejection of hosting a figure who defended American policies supporting Israel during the war.
שתף את דעתך
Student Protests Interrupt Linda Greenfield's Speech at NYU Condemning Gaza War