This year's commencement speaker for the UMass graduation ceremony has withdrawn.
On Bluesky Social, Pulitzer Prize winner author Colson Whitehead posted the message he sent to the university.
The message reads "I was looking forward to speaking next week at UMass Amherst. I visited two years ago and everyone was awesome. My nephew graduated from there and got a great education. But calling the cops on peaceful protesters is a shameful act." He says he has to withdraw as speaker but gives his best wishes and congratulations to the class of '24 and he prays for the safety of the Palestinian people, the return of the hostages, and an end to the war.
The commencement is scheduled for next weekend. University officials have not said anything about a replacement speaker.
(Photo by DANIEL ROLAND/AFP via Getty Images)