U of Fla. faculty aggressively drag black students off stage at graduation. This is their response.

Several black University of Florida students were aggressively dragged off the graduation stage as they celebrated Saturday's 2018's commencement ceremony, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

What are the details?

In widely circulated videos and photos, an unidentified school faculty member, serving as an usher at the University of Florida's Saturday commencement ceremonies, can be seen manhandling students off the stage during the announcement of graduates.

UF Twitter 🗣🗣

Somebody please find out this employee’s name!! Every time a Black student took more than TWO seconds, he aggressively pushed them. Watch it for yourself. #ItsGreatUF pic.twitter.com/zMee1nMbUZ

— Chris (@ChicoFreedom) May 5, 2018

You saw what was going on and said nothing pic.twitter.com/yroAGNAUZa

— Wallace (@iWaleMazon) May 6, 2018

You mean this? pic.twitter.com/qAPyafj7i3

— Wallace (@iWaleMazon) May 6, 2018

The photos and videos sparked outrage across the internet, and many students spoke out against the usher's treatment.

What are the students saying?

Christopher Garcia-Wilde, a part of the school's graduating class, told the Gainesville Sun that he witnessed several students being manhandled across the stage.

"Both of my friends wanted to celebrate by strolling, which is a cultural tradition in historically black fraternities and sororities," he explained. "It’s a tradition to stroll at graduation if you choose to, and people have been doing this for years."

For his part, Garcia-Wilde did not stroll, but held up his fist instead.

"I was actually too afraid because I saw [the usher] shove other people," Garcia-Wilde admitted. "But my two friends who graduated with me really wanted to do it, so they tried. They both were pushed and one of them got an entire bear hug."

Nafeesah Attah told ABC News that she was also dragged off the stage after she received her diploma.

"I kind of planned what I wanted to do on stage to celebrate my story, all of my hard work I'd done at the University of Florida," Attah told the outlet.

"I tried to do one of my stroll moves," she added, "but I was instantly, like, blocked by one of the officials on stage and they aggressively pushed me off the stage after that."

Attah noted that she was "definitely disappointed" that she couldn't complete her celebration "because I can only get my [bachelor's degree] once."

Oliver Telusma, another student who graduated on Saturday, told the Sun that he was "embarrassed" by the maneuver.

"I had just started, and [the usher] picked me up and turned me around, which I thought was kind of embarrassing and degrading to be handled in that manner," Telusma recalled.

What has the school said?

The university apologized on Sunday for the incident.

University of Florida President Kent Fuchs said that the school was "inappropriately aggressive" in rushing graduates from the stage during the ceremony.

"During one of this weekend's commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage," Fuchs tweeted on Sunday. "I personally apologize, and am reaching out to the students involved."

He added, "The practice has been halted for all future ceremonies, and we will work to make sure all graduating students know we are proud of their achievements and celebrate with them their graduation."

During one of this weekend’s commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage. I personally apologize, and am reaching out to the students involved. (1/2)

— W. Kent Fuchs (@PresidentFuchs) May 6, 2018

The practice has been halted for all future ceremonies, and we will work to make sure all graduating students know we are proud of their achievements and celebrate with them their graduation. (2/2)

— W. Kent Fuchs (@PresidentFuchs) May 6, 2018