The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly deported a student wearing Palestinian keffiyeh for shouting “Free Palestine” during a graduation ceremony at New York University’s (NYU) Abu Dhabi campus in May.
This is in accordance with the graduation ceremony regulation of NYU Abu Dhabi, which forbids graduates from wearing scarves or symbols on their gowns or caps.
The Ph.D. student who violated the regulation on stage ultimately found himself in police custody for a week before being deported, according to a report by Washington Square News (WSN), an NYU student newspaper.
“The regulations reflected escalating concerns over academic freedom at the campus, which students and faculty described in ‘very distressing accounts’ tp NYU’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors,” the NYU news said.
NYU Abu Dhabi told Associated Press that it advised students “clearly and repeatedly about expectations, obligations, and boundaries, including the protocols for the NYU Abu Dhabi graduation.”
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have been waging a devastating war on Gaza Strip, leaving nearly 38,200 deaths and 87,000 injured, causing massive infrastructure destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel has continued its offensive on the Gaza since October 7, following a Hamas attack, despite a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution requesting a ceasefire.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has accused Israel of genocide and ordered Tel Aviv to halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians sought refuge.
