Hundreds of graduating students at Harvard University made a bold statement during their commencement ceremony by staging a walkout. The protest was in response to the school’s decision not to allow 13 students who participated in Gaza campus protests to graduate.
Weeks prior to the commencement, pro-Palestine demonstrators had set up an encampment at the university, mirroring nationwide campus protests that originated at Columbia University in April. These protests were part of a larger movement calling for universities to boycott companies and individuals with ties to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in the region.
As degrees were being conferred at Harvard’s commencement, hundreds of students walked out of the ceremony, while chants of “Let them walk!” echoed through the crowd. This referred to the 13 student protesters who were barred from graduating following a vote by the Harvard Corporation, the university’s governing body, on Wednesday.
The walkout served as a stark reminder of the ongoing unrest on the Cambridge campus, occurring on a day when over 9,000 graduates and their families had gathered in Harvard Yard for the celebratory event.
Student speakers at the ceremony strongly criticized the Harvard Corporation’s decision to withhold degrees from the 13 protesters. The move was seen as a breach of an agreement between administrators and students to clear their encampment from Harvard Yard.
The turmoil stemmed from October 7, when over 30 student organizations at Harvard signed an open letter holding Israel responsible for the violence during the Israel-Hamas conflict. The backlash against the letter and Harvard’s delayed response led to campus strife, with instances of doxxing and antisemitic attacks reported.
Amid mounting controversies, including the resignation of Harvard’s first Black president, Claudine Gay, tensions escalated further. The recent controversy over student discipline began when Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine announced that some seniors would not graduate. Supporters argued that they were being punished for peaceful protest, while Harvard cited disruptive behavior and harassment of staff members.
Despite faculty efforts to restore the students’ eligibility to graduate, the Harvard Corporation overruled the decision, leaving the 13 students in limbo. They have the option to appeal the decision and request reinstatement to good standing, with the hope of receiving their degrees promptly.
