A graduate at University of California, Berkeley was temporarily denied his diploma cover during a commencement ceremony after walking across the stage holding a Palestinian flag, according to videos circulating online and university officials.
The incident took place during a graduation ceremony at Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy, where administrators briefly halted proceedings as the student approached the podium carrying the flag. Video from the ceremony showed officials refusing to hand over the diploma cover and publicly reprimanding the student before allowing the ceremony to continue.
According to reports, the standoff lasted roughly a minute as school officials insisted the student lower the flag before proceeding. The student eventually complied and left the stage.
In a statement cited by multiple outlets, university representatives said the action was taken to enforce commencement rules prohibiting demonstrations or political displays that disrupt the ceremony. Officials said the intervention was meant to maintain order for all graduates participating in the event.
The move sparked backlash from pro-Palestinian activists and free speech advocates, who accused the university of overreacting and suppressing political expression during graduation ceremonies. Videos of the confrontation spread widely on social media following the event.
The current tensions at Berkeley come weeks after the university's law school caused controversy when it hosted Israa Jaabis, a Palestinian Arab who was convicted of attempting a suicide attack in Israel and was released in the 2023 hostage deal - a move that sparked widespread outrage.
At the same time, the government fight against antisemitism in American academia is escalating. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against neighboring UCLA, alleging it showed deliberate indifference to harm against Jewish and Israeli students.