A graduation ceremony held by the University of California, Berkeley, was interrupted Saturday morning by hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators.
Most of the protesters were alumni and wore caps and gowns. Photos showed hundreds of students wearing keffiyehs, waving Palestinian flags and holding signs denouncing the Israeli government.
The suspension follows weeks of unrest at U.S. universities over the Israel-Hamas war, in which thousands of students staged anti-Israel protests.
During Saturday’s speech, another group could be heard shouting “Vibaba Palestine.” Some sections were completely filled with protesters, while others were more spread out.
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Pro-Palestinian students protest during a graduation ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley, Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Berkeley, California. (Getty Images)
Protesters could also be heard shouting the controversial chant: “Palestine will be free/From the river to the sea.” The phrase is widely considered anti-Semitic and has even caused members of the United States Congress to pass a resolution condemning the use of the chant.
Videos posted on social media showed students holding Palestinian flags and clapping while shouting “End the occupation!” In some sections, giant Israeli flags could be seen flying as a counter-protest.
The University of California, Berkeley told Fox News Digital there were no incidents of violence or arrests at the ceremony.
A university spokesperson said, “The demonstrators left the stadium voluntarily. There was no violence. No arrests were made. The ceremony took place as scheduled.”
“The University of California, Berkeley is committed to celebrating the accomplishments of our graduates in a safe and respectful environment. Today’s commencement ceremony was unfortunately interrupted at times, but we still want to honor the hard work and accomplishments of our students. It did not prevent this from happening,” the spokesperson added.
The speeches continued despite the chaos, although speakers acknowledged that there were occasional rough moments. UC Associated Student President Sidney Roberts was interrupted mid-speech, but continued after a brief pause.
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“Without protests, this isn’t Berkeley,” she said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
A protester holds an Israeli flag as pro-Palestinian students protest during a graduation ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley, Saturday, May 11, 2024, in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Steven Lamb/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
The Chronicle also reported that UC Berkeley President Carol Christ praised anti-Israel protesters.
“They are passionate about the atrocities and violence in Gaza, the killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians, the destruction of educational institutions,” she said of the students’ weeks-long encampment.
Before the protests erupted at graduation, graduates told FOX 2 in San Francisco that they felt used to protests and didn’t expect things to get out of hand.
“I know the media may be reporting that these protests are happening and disrupting life, but that’s only part of the story,” student Kathan Sarr told FOX 2. . “Life continues as normal, and we strive to be considerate of the protesters and listen to their voices.” ”
“But it’s fine until things get out of hand. We haven’t had that happen here, so it’s been a pretty peaceful situation overall.”
The message “Let’s separate” is written at the University of California, Berkeley’s graduation ceremony held at California Memorial Stadium following weeks of pro-Palestinian protests on Saturday, May 11, 2024 in Berkeley, California. Alumni holding white T-shirts are protesting. (Photo by Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Another student predicted there would be protesters at the graduation ceremony, but predicted it would be quiet.
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“If something were to happen at the graduation ceremony, I don’t think it would be violent,” Reece Murphy told FOX 2. “It will happen in a completely appropriate way and if anyone feels strongly about expressing themselves during graduation, they should be heard.”
