Berkeley educators refused handy a diploma to a graduate who held aloft the Palestinian flag except he removed it.
It occurred in the course of the Spring commencement ceremony for the Goldman College of Public Coverage on the College of California Berkeley, when a pupil walked throughout the stage to get their diploma and flashed the flag.
In a video from the ceremony, the scholar walked as much as the individual holding their diploma and the professor refused handy it over.
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One of many announcers mentioned, “I’m sorry, however we’re not allowed to have flags.”
“Flags are prohibited. We’re not allowed to have flags.”
Within the footage from the celebration, it appeared the scholar was being instructed to eliminate the flag earlier than the ceremony may resume and his diploma could be handed over.
The ceremony was halted for greater than a minute as the scholar carrying the flag refused to place it away to get his diploma.
This occurred in entrance of your entire viewers made up of relations of graduates, college and fellow college students.
Because the viewers booing received louder, the announcer apologized and mentioned “I’m sorry it’s not our coverage, it’s the college coverage.”
“We aren’t allowed to have flags,” the announcer added, instructing the scholar they may depart it with them whereas they went to get their diploma.
Finally, the graduate walked over to somebody within the viewers and handed over the flag.
He then walked again on stage to the professor holding his diploma, grabbed it, and exited the stage in a short time.
The college is now dealing with a backlash from pupil teams who’re upset about what occurred.
“Graduation is a mirrored image of a pupil’s identification and values,” a consultant from a campus pupil coalition informed Roya Information.
“To publicly self-discipline a pupil and maintain their hard-earned diploma over a flag is a extreme overreaction that stifles free expression.”
A spokesperson for the college issued a press release to the outlet that “Campus pointers relating to graduation decorum, stating that demonstrations or political shows that disrupt the movement of the commencement ceremony are prohibited.”
Final month, a failed Palestinian suicide bomber was invited to the college to present a speech to college students–incomes raucous applause from the gang throughout her video look for a “Palestinian Political Prisoners Day” occasion.
Israa Jaabis, who was launched from an Israeli jail in 2023 as a part of a prisoner change associated to the October 7 assaults, spoke to college students in April on the college’s legislation faculty for the “teach-in” organized by UC Berkeley College students for Justice in Palestine.
Video posted by the pro-Palestine Berkeley pupil group — which describes itself as combating “for Palestinian liberation till Palestine is liberated from the River to the Sea” — featured blurry footage of scholars erupting in applause in the course of the speech.
The California Publish reached out to UC Berkeley for additional remark.
