Staff Reports
Hundreds of anti-Israel protestors disrupted Harvard University’s commencement ceremony. Some students and professors walked out of the event, while others remained and displayed Palestinian flags. They chanted “Let them walk!” in reference to 13 students who were not allowed to graduate after setting up an encampment on campus to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
Watch: Harvard Commencement Ceremony Turns into Disaster as Hundreds of Anti-Israel Students Walk Out: The commencement ceremony at Harvard University was crashed on Thursday by hundreds of anti-Israel protestors, many of who walked out of the… https://t.co/CPdbo6PjpC #Trump2024 pic.twitter.com/eD56FeKTYX
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The New York Times reported on the chaos at Harvard’s commencement, which was the culmination of a school year marked by support for Hamas. Videos on social media showed students leaving the speech, and the scenes quickly went viral.
ABC News stated that a total of hundreds of people participated in the walkout. Some protestors screamed “Free Palestine” on their way out, and others accused Harvard of funding “genocide.”
During the ceremony, Shruthi Kumar, a Harvard student, accused the school of punishing those exercising their First Amendment rights and called on Harvard to hear their voices. The disruptions marked a sharp contrast to the allegations of plagiarism that had surrounded Harvard’s president earlier in the year.
The incident showcases the ongoing tensions around issues related to Israel and Palestine on college campuses, and it has drawn attention to the division and protest culture at Ivy League universities, where political activism often takes center stage.
