Hundreds of Yale graduates participated in a mass walkout during Monday's commencement ceremony, waving Palestinian flags and demanding that the university "disclose and divest" from Israel-linked companies.
Yale University's graduation ceremony was disrupted by a mass walkout staged by hundreds of anti-Israel protesters. The students waved Palestinian flags and held banners calling on the university to "disclose and divest" its investments linked to Israel.
Anti-Israel protests have become a common occurrence on college campuses across the country in recent weeks, leading to the cancellation of several graduation ceremonies. The protests are part of a broader movement demanding greater support for the Palestinian cause and an end to Israeli occupation.
At Yale, the protesting students walked out as diplomas were being handed out to graduates. They also chanted "free Palestine" as Yale President Peter Salovey delivered his address.
Salovey condemned the actions of the protesters, stating that "it is not enough to retreat into silos alongside those who are already inclined to agree with us. Nor is it effective to ostracize, call out, or shame or silence well-meaning others who do not."
Yale's campus has been a hot spot for anti-Israel protests in recent weeks, with police making dozens of arrests in an effort to clear out encampments set up by protesters.
The protest at Yale mirrored disruptions at graduation and commencement ceremonies taking place across the country. Drexel University in Philadelphia was forced to go into lockdown on Monday due to a resurgence in protests. The University of Southern California was forced to cancel its graduation ceremony altogether.
Columbia University, the early center of the protests, also canceled its school-wide graduation ceremony. President Minouche Shafik expressed regret for the disappointment but emphasized the need to address the "fraught" situation between the rights of pro-Palestinian protesters and the impact of their protests on the Jewish community.
The protests at Yale and other campuses highlight the growing tensions between supporters of Israel and Palestine. As the movement for Palestinian rights continues to gain momentum, it is likely that further protests and disruptions will occur on college campuses and beyond.
