Hundreds Walked Out of Harvard's Graduation Ceremony

Partly attempting to have a peaceful graduation ceremony, 13 graduating seniors were barred from Harvard’s ceremony on May 23. However, barring these 13 graduates became a flashpoint for new protests. Students saw this as another broken promise by the Harvard administration, since an “understanding” had been reached that all seniors would be allowed to graduate and participate in the graduation ceremony. The 13 students were peaceful and Harvard could not identify a single act by any of those students that would have caused concern. Their only “crime” was being peaceful. Hundreds of graduates began to chant “Let them walk,” meaning walk up to the ceremony stage and pick up their diploma. Hundreds more walked out of the ceremony. As one of the commencement speakers said, “America is being tested.”