During Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s keynote address, a group of graduates at Stanford walked out in protest. Organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the demonstration aimed to voice opposition to the company’s dealings with Israel.
Footage on social media captured over 100 individuals, likely Stanford graduates, standing up and chanting “Free, Free Palestine” as they exited, some carrying Palestinian flags.
Reports indicate that the protest was spearheaded by far-left student organizations, including Students for Justice in Palestine and No Technology for Apartheid. The New York Post noted that the group had previously shared social media messages endorsing Gaza influencers who celebrated the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Pichai, himself a Stanford alumnus, was addressing attendees on the day of the event.
In 2021, a coalition of Google and Amazon employees published an open letter criticizing the companies for establishing a $1.2 billion technology contract, called “Project Nimbus,” with the Israeli military and government to provide cloud data services.
In 2024, Google let go of 28 employees who took part in sit-in protests against the Project Nimbus contract at the company’s offices in New York and California.
This latest walkout at Stanford follows a trend of protests during commencement ceremonies this year aimed at Big Tech. Just last month, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt faced significant backlash at the University of Arizona, where graduates booed him while he discussed the youth’s apprehensions surrounding AI.
In contrast, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak received applause at Grand Valley State University’s ceremony, where he underscored the importance of human intellect over artificial intelligence.
Despite the disruption, Pichai continued his address, reportedly discussing the optimistic need to adapt to change.
