Students stage pro-Palestinian walkout at Stanford commencement

Hundreds of students streamed retired of commencement astatine California's Stanford University connected Sunday arsenic portion of nan outpouring activity of pro-Palestinian protests connected American assemblage campuses.

The students stood and exited astatine nan opening of a reside by outgoing assemblage President Richard Saller, who read: “Don’t fto your convictions unopen retired your expertise to perceive and learn.”

Videos verified by NBC News showed nan commencement arsenic students successful achromatic robes and Cardinal-red trim calmly marched distant from their seats connected nan section astatine Stanford Stadium.

The would-be graduates were shouted connected by cohorts astatine nan stadium. The institution did not instantly respond to a petition for much information.

A group called Stanford Against Apartheid successful Palestine organized an "alternative graduation" group to return spot aft nan charismatic commencement, according to a station connected its Instagram page.

The arena conscionable off-campus, successful Menlo Park, was organized to support chap students it said were prohibited from Sunday's field ceremonies aft they were arrested astatine erstwhile pro-Palestinian protests.

"Join america TODAY to observe and grant our arrested comrades who will person their degrees withheld for fighting against genocide," nan group's station said.

More than a twelve protesters were arrested June 5 aft they concisely took complete nan president’s agency astatine Stanford, authorities said.

Some were suspended from school, they said.

The participants were portion of pro-Palestinian protests calling for nan institution to divest from Israel amid its war pinch Hamas.