The University of Texas at Dallas chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine is demanding a student be allowed to attend his own graduation Wednesday.
SJP said in a news release the university denied Belal El Sherif鈥檚 request to graduate with everyone else.
Noor Saleh, a member of SJP, called the decision 鈥渃lear political retaliation鈥� for El Sherif鈥檚 opposition to the war in Gaza and UTD鈥檚 investments in companies with ties to Israel.
鈥淭hem not allowing him to attend his graduation and banning him from campus is because of 鈥� how vocal he has been about demanding divestment from the university,鈥� she said.
UTD confirmed Tuesday two unnamed students were banned from campus 鈥渂ecause the students interrupted a University commencement ceremony鈥� last Friday.
鈥淥thers involved are being identified and may face similar measures,鈥� a spokesperson told 四虎影院 in an emailed statement. 鈥淚ndividuals may peaceably assemble and exercise their right to freedom of speech on campus, but they may not disrupt university events.鈥�
El Sherif said he and other students have been targeted specifically for speaking out about the situation in the Middle East.
"What I and my fellow student are facing now is nothing new and part of a broader attempt by university administrations in collaboration w with the Trump administration and previously the Biden administration to suppress voices for Palestine," he said.
Earlier this month New York University withheld a student鈥檚 diploma after he used his graduation speech to condemn the 鈥渁trocities currently happening in Palestine.鈥�
In the almost two years since a Hamas-led attack on Israel killed an estimated 1,200 people, Israel鈥檚 retaliation has killed almost 53,000 people, according to figures from Gaza鈥檚 Health Ministry reported by the BBC.
Pro-Palestinian protests at campuses across the U.S. last year sparked contentious debate over free speech rights. At least 20 protesters were arrested for criminal trespass at an encampment at UTD after the university said they blocked pathways.
The school later gave students written warnings instead of harsher proposed discipline, though a Collin County grand jury earlier this year indicted 14 of the protesters on charges of obstruction of a passageway, a Class B misdemeanor.
Bill Zeeble is 四虎影院鈥檚 education reporter. Got a tip? Email Bill at bzeeble@kera.org. You can follow him on X .
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