Befitting a campus synonymous with student protest, the graduation ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley, on Saturday blurred the lines between pomp and pro-Palestinian activism.
When the university chancellor, Carol Christ, took the stage around 10:45 a.m. at the school’s Memorial Stadium, a smattering of boos erupted from graduating students.
But her initial remarks, acknowledging the students camping on Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza for almost three weeks, elicited cheers.
They began to chant: “Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation has got to go” and “U.C.
divest.” They also interrupted the speech by the student body president, Sydney Roberts, who said, “This wouldn’t be Berkeley without a protest.”
Persons:
Carol Christ, “, Sydney Roberts, ”
Organizations:
University of California, ”
Locations:
Berkeley, Gaza, ”