NEW DELHI: Hundreds of students walked out of Harvard’s commencement ceremony on Thursday chanting “Free, Free Palestine” after weeks of pro-Palestinian student protests at American universities.
This came a day after the university announced that 13 students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests would not receive diplomas. In a show of support for their peers, the students chanted “Let them walk, let them walk” as they urged the authorities to allow the 13 students to receive their diplomas.
The decision by Harvard’s senior management committee came after faculty members on Monday recommended that 13 students be allowed to graduate despite participating in the camp. However, Harvard said each of the 13 students violated university policies by their actions during the camp protest.
“In coming to this resolution, we note that the express provisions of the Harvard College Student Handbook state that students who are not in good standing are ineligible for degrees,” it said in a written statement.
‘Is Harvard listening to us?’
Disgruntled with the university’s handling of the protesters, student speaker Shruti Kumar said, “This semester our freedom of speech and expression of our solidarity has been punished.”
“I am deeply disappointed by the lack of tolerance for free speech and the right to dissent on academic campuses,” he said.
“It’s about upholding civil rights and democratic principles,” he said. “Students have spoken. Faculty have spoken. Is Harvard listening to you?”, he added.
‘Protests are healthy and should not be violent or silenced’
Addressing the graduates at the ceremony, Maria Ressa, a journalist and press freedom advocate, said, “You don’t know who you are until you are tested, until you fight for what you believe in. Because that defines who you are. There are.”
“Campus protests test everyone in America. Protests are healthy. They shouldn’t be violent. They shouldn’t be peaceful,” he added.
(with inputs from AP)
This came a day after the university announced that 13 students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests would not receive diplomas. In a show of support for their peers, the students chanted “Let them walk, let them walk” as they urged the authorities to allow the 13 students to receive their diplomas.
The decision by Harvard’s senior management committee came after faculty members on Monday recommended that 13 students be allowed to graduate despite participating in the camp. However, Harvard said each of the 13 students violated university policies by their actions during the camp protest.
“In coming to this resolution, we note that the express provisions of the Harvard College Student Handbook state that students who are not in good standing are ineligible for degrees,” it said in a written statement.
‘Is Harvard listening to us?’
Disgruntled with the university’s handling of the protesters, student speaker Shruti Kumar said, “This semester our freedom of speech and expression of our solidarity has been punished.”
“I am deeply disappointed by the lack of tolerance for free speech and the right to dissent on academic campuses,” he said.
“It’s about upholding civil rights and democratic principles,” he said. “Students have spoken. Faculty have spoken. Is Harvard listening to you?”, he added.
‘Protests are healthy and should not be violent or silenced’
Addressing the graduates at the ceremony, Maria Ressa, a journalist and press freedom advocate, said, “You don’t know who you are until you are tested, until you fight for what you believe in. Because that defines who you are. There are.”
“Campus protests test everyone in America. Protests are healthy. They shouldn’t be violent. They shouldn’t be peaceful,” he added.
(with inputs from AP)
