People participate in rally protesting Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action in U.S.

Participants march and chant slogans at a rally protesting the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action on Harvard University Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, on July 1, 2023. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that race-conscious admissions policies used by colleges and universities are unconstitutional, in a pair of cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Supreme Court stated that the admissions policies of Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC), two of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the country, violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Participants march and chant slogans at a rally protesting the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action on Harvard University Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, on July 1, 2023. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

Participants march and chant slogans at a rally protesting the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action on Harvard University Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, on July 1, 2023. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

Participants march and chant slogans at a rally protesting the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action on Harvard University Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, on July 1, 2023. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

Participants march and chant slogans at a rally protesting the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action on Harvard University Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, on July 1, 2023. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

Participants march and chant slogans at a rally protesting the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action on Harvard University Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, on July 1, 2023. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)