Georgia universities navigate protests at commencement ceremonies

In the midst of ongoing demonstrations concerning the Israel-Hamas war on college campuses, school officials are now grappling with how to manage graduates who decide to protest during commencement ceremonies.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday that one student at a Georgia State University graduation tried to walk the stage with a Palestinian flag.

”Per commencement procedure, flags are not permitted as students cross the stage,” university spokeswoman Andrea Jones told the AJC in a Thursday email. The master’s graduate agreed to give the flag to security as she walked the stage.

However, in a social media post, the same graduate is seen being escorted out of the graduation ceremony. The post suggests that she was escorted out for wearing a kaffiyeh.

Jones denied that this was the case, and instead said the graduate was escorted out because she became disruptive. Once she was handed the flag back after crossing the stage, Jones said, she proceeded to the center aisle in front of the stage, unrolled the flag and started shouting.

Another graduate was escorted out for taking a microphone from the university band, Jones said.