Dozens of students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony on Sunday as actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld was about to give his address. Videos posted on social media showed people waving Palestinian flags and chanting “free Palestine” as they left the football stadium where the ceremony was taking place. Duke University President Vincent Price’s introduction to Seinfeld was drowned out by the chanting, while others in the crowd shouted “Jerry! Jerry!” Seinfeld, who has supported Israel since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants, recently sparked controversy with his comments on acceptable comedy material.
Seinfeld, who received an honorary degree from Duke and delivered the commencement address without major interruptions, focused on jokes about the students, artificial intelligence, and privilege during his speech. He urged the graduates to use their privilege and joked about growing up as a Jewish boy in New York. As Seinfeld spoke, the students who left the ceremony continued to chant slogans from the parking lot in protest. The protests at Duke University are part of a larger trend of demonstrations on U.S. campuses calling for universities to divest from companies fueling and profiting from wars.
The walkout by the students at Duke University is part of a larger wave of protests that have been happening on campuses across the country in response to the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Some universities, such as Columbia and the University of Southern California, have had to cancel or restructure their graduation ceremonies due to student protests. At the University of Michigan, students briefly interrupted the ceremony earlier this month. University spokespersons have expressed support for peaceful protests and the right of students to express their views.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a small group of demonstrators staged a silent protest during their commencement ceremony, with some carrying a Palestinian flag. In Virginia, graduating students at Virginia Commonwealth University walked out during an address by Governor Glenn Youngkin, with some showing support for Palestinians and others signaling opposition to the governor’s policies. Similar protests also took place at the University of Texas, Austin, and the University of California, Berkeley, where students waved Palestinian flags and chanted during the commencement ceremonies.
The protests at various universities reflect the deep divisions and tensions surrounding the conflict in the Gaza Strip and the broader issue of Israeli-Palestinian relations. University administrators have had to navigate these tensions and make decisions about how to respond to student protests while still allowing for celebrations of academic achievements. The demonstrations at Duke University and other campuses highlight the importance of free expression and the challenges universities face in balancing the right to protest with the need to maintain order and uphold their values. The protests also show the impact of current events on college campuses and the ways in which students are engaging with political and social issues in their graduation ceremonies.
