Protesters disrupted the inauguration of Dr. Rebecca Cunningham as the University of Minnesota’s president, demanding an end to the Israel-Hamas War.
During her speech on Wednesday night, shouts from the crowd led her to step back as a university official addressed the disruption, reminding attendees that while free speech is valued, disruptive behavior is against university policy. He offered an option to remain quietly or use a designated area for demonstrations.
A second warning included the possibility of suspension before protesters began chanting “Free Palestine.”
The protest briefly delayed the ceremony by under four minutes, after which President Cunningham resumed her speech.
