University Park Campus and USC Village closed to “everyone” amid an ongoing pro-Palestinian protest outside the Shrine Auditorium on Royal Street and Jefferson Boulevard, a TrojansAlert message announced to students Sunday evening. 

Demonstrators were protesting Pomona College’s commencement ceremony, which was scheduled to take place in the auditorium at 6 p.m.

Pomona moved the commencement nearly 40 miles away from its campus in Claremont after pro-Palestinian organizations set up an encampment on the stage intended for the ceremony. The organizations were calling on Pomona to divest from “all institutions that aid the ongoing occupation of Palestine” and call for a ceasefire in Gaza, among other demands.

A broad coalition of local organizations collaborated in the “So-Cal Shut it Down for Palestine” protest, including Pomona Divest from Apartheid and the USC Divest from Death Coalition, which recently helped organize the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” at Alumni Park.

Minor struggles occurred when protesters attempted to block graduates’ family members  who were attempting to push their way into the venue. Protesters also clashed with the police after refusing to disperse, and one demonstrator was arrested for allegedly attempting to hit an officer.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. the protesters left and the commencement ceremony completed as planned. No injuries were reported after the protest concluded. 

Saachi Patel, a student who spoke at the ceremony, echoed the protesters’ calls for Pomona to “divest from apartheid and occupation and cut ties with war-profiteering companies.”  

Patel’s remarks were met with cheering and standing ovations from several of her classmates.

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