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Protesters interrupt CU Denver commencement

The people protesting could be heard on the livestream chanting "free, free Palestine" before they were removed.

DENVER — A group of Pro-Palestinian protesters were removed after they interrupted the University of Colorado Denver commencement on Saturday.

On the university's livestream of the ceremonies, a protester could initially be heard yelling there's "Palestinian blood on your hands" as CU Denver Chancellor Michelle Marks was speaking about the number of active duty military members in the graduating class.

People began booing the disruptor. As the booing subsided, a group of people can then be heard chanting "free, free Palestine."

The chanting lasted roughly another 15 seconds before someone got on the PA system to tell the crowd at the Denver Coliseum to be respectful of the ceremony and not to demonstrate for a particular cause.

Chancellor Marks then walked out of the livestream's frame as chanting continued. A graphic saying that commencement would be back momentarily was put up on the livestream, and Bob Marley's "Exodus" was piped into the livestream audio.

After a little over a minute, the graphic was removed and the song faded down, and Chancellor Marks picked up saying her remarks where she left off.

CU Denver representatives said the protesters were escorted out after "numerous warnings." Some of the protesters continued in the designated protest area outside the arena before leaving, they said. No arrests were made.

The representatives said the Denver Coliseum has a strict "no indoor protesting" policy, which was "communicated steadily" ahead of the ceremony.

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