At least 25 people were taken into custody on Saturday at the University of Virginia, as demonstrations against the war in Gaza persisted, causing disruptions to college campuses and severing the joyous atmosphere surrounding graduation celebrations around the nation.

The arrests and forceful attempts to put an end to the demonstrations highlighted how turbulent the conclusion of the spring semester has been for colleges; in the midst of heated protests, several of them are now hosting graduation ceremonies this weekend.

Students who support Palestine, on the other hand, have made it clear that they will keep pressuring their colleges to cut off funding to Israel and defense contractors, voice their indignation over the murder in Gaza, and denounce the violent handling of demonstrators on campus. On Saturday, riot gear-clad cops sprayed chemical irritants on scores of protesters at the University of Virginia.

At least 25 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were taken into custody by the police on Saturday at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The demonstrators had been forcefully removed from the university lawn, and at one point, chemical irritants had been used to several dozen persons.

This week, Charlottesville students demonstrated in the center of campus, joining hundreds of other students, teachers, and staff members nationwide.

They demanded that the university divest from Israel, weapons manufacturers, and businesses with ties to Israeli institutions, as well as defend the right of students to peaceful protest. Tents were erected on Friday and taken down the following day.

The university noted in a news release that the demonstrators’ use of megaphones and tents on the lawn on Friday was against school policy.

However, the statement stated that “due to heavy rain Friday night, the demonstration site’s continued peaceful behavior, and the presence of young children,” the encampment was not forcibly evacuated at that time.

Thousands of graduates in their caps and gowns streamed into the nation’s largest stadium on a warm Saturday in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the University of Michigan’s graduation ceremony.

Tens of thousands of fans crowded into Michigan Stadium were seated while planes carrying opposing messages flew overhead, one carrying a banner that said, “We stand with Israel.” Jewish lives are important.,” and another that said, “Leave Israel right now! Liberate Palestine!

Following that, dozens of pro-Palestinian grads marched down the middle aisle in the direction of the stage while wearing graduation hats, kaffiyeh, and flags. “Regents, regents, you can’t hide!” they chanted. yelling that the institution should remove itself from investments that have helped Israel, saying “You are funding genocide!”

Following this week’s racist remarks thrown at pro-Palestinian protesters by counterprotesters, school officials said that the University of Mississippi is looking into the behavior of at least one student.

Glenn F. Boyce, the chancellor of the university, stated in a letter to staff, faculty, and students on Friday night that the institution has started looking into one student and might look into more.

Mr. Boyce said, “University leaders are aware that some statements made during yesterday’s demonstration were offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable, including actions that conveyed hostility and racist overtones.” Due to privacy laws, he did not reveal the student’s identity.