Seinfeld speech at Duke commencement prompts walkout protesting his support for Israel
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People in robes and caps, some waving Palestinian flags, were seen in a video walking out of the commencement ceremony when comedian Jerry Seinfeld was announced.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, IAMSCHVITZING/X
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NORTH CAROLINA – Dozens of students walked out of Duke University’s commencement ceremony on May 12 as some chanted “free Palestine” to protest its guest speaker, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who has supported Israel throughout the war on Gaza, according to a video posted on social media platform X.
People in robes and caps, some waving Palestinian flags, were seen filing out of crowds of graduates assembled at the North Carolina university’s football stadium. Reuters was able to verify the date and location of the video.
The clip also showed several attendees leaving the viewing stands, including a person wearing a keffiyeh scarf, an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
Others shouted, “Jerry, Jerry”, as the actor received an honorary degree. Seinfeld delivered his speech without major interruptions.
“A lot of you are thinking, ‘I can’t believe they invited this guy.’ Too late,” he said, after vowing to defend the concept of privilege.
“I say, use your privilege. I grew up a Jewish boy from New York. That is a privilege if you want to be a comedian,” he added.
Duke spokesman Frank Tramble said in a statement: “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.”
Seinfeld visited Israel and has vocally supported it since Oct 7, when militant group Hamas killed 1,200 people
Meanwhile, Israel’s military operations have killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in the Hamas-ruled Palestinian enclave.
The White House said on May 7 that US President Joe Biden welcomes peaceful protests at college commencement ceremonies where he and other administration officials will speak.
The walkout at Duke was the latest manifestation of protests that have roiled US campuses as students call for universities to divest from arms suppliers and other companies profiting from the war, as well as amnesty for students and faculty members who have been disciplined or fired for protesting.
At Emerson College in Boston, chants interrupted remarks by the school’s president during its commencement ceremony on May 12.
In a recording of the event, some students could be seen walking across the stage to receive their degrees while carrying signs of support for Palestinians, including one woman who unfurled a Palestinian flag.
The protests have prompted US universities, such as Columbia in New York and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, to cancel their main graduation ceremonies in May.
Other colleges and universities have relocated or modified commencement ceremonies. REUTERS
