A group of pro-Palestinian students attending a graduation ceremony at a university in the United States staged a walkout prior to a speech by veteran comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
Videos shared on social media depicted several graduates in robes at Duke University in North Carolina chanting and displaying Palestinian flags in protest while Seinfeld was being awarded an honorary degree on Sunday.
Seinfeld has expressed strong support for Israel following the Hamas attacks on October 7th and during the Gaza conflict.
Despite the protest, many students chose to remain and listen to Seinfeld’s speech, some even expressing their support vocally.
The incident occurred as the 70-year-old comedian was being introduced on stage at the university’s football stadium by the institution’s president, Vincent Price.
Videos posted online captured loud booing and chants of “Free Palestine.”
Additionally, some individuals seated in the surrounding areas could be seen leaving as Seinfeld began his address.
Seinfeld, a Jewish actor who was one of 700 entertainment industry figures to sign an open letter supporting Israel’s right to self-defense after the attack by Hamas, successfully delivered his speech without further interruption.
As he received his degree, some in the audience chanted “Jerry, Jerry.”
Acknowledging potential skepticism about his invitation, Seinfeld quipped, “A lot of you are thinking, ‘I can’t believe they invited this guy.’ Too late.” He then advocated for the use of privilege, drawing from his experience growing up as a Jewish comedian from New York.
Seinfeld, who has two children attending Duke University, visited an Israeli kibbutz in December and met with families affected by Hamas’s actions in Gaza.
In response to the ceremony, Duke University’s vice president for communications, Frank Tramble, stated, “We understand the depth of feeling in our community, and as we have all year, we respect the right of everyone at Duke to express their views peacefully, without preventing graduates and their families from celebrating their achievement.”
The protest was part of a series of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses across the US, with students urging universities to boycott entities linked to Israel due to ongoing conflicts.
National politicians have urged colleges to respond, citing disorder and reports of antisemitism at some protests, resulting in police intervention to disperse gatherings.
Several universities, including Columbia University and the University of Southern California, have canceled or modified their main graduation ceremonies in response to these events.
Hamas militants launched attacks from Gaza into Israel on October 7th, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities.
Since the beginning of Israel’s offensive, over 34,900 individuals have been reported killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-controlled health ministry.
