Jerry Seinfeld university appearance spurs pro-Palestine walkouts

nme.com:

Jerry Seinfeld for a university commencement speech in the US has sparked walkouts.The comedian and Seinfeld creator was about to speak at Duke University in North Carolina – where he was also receiving an honorary degree – when protestors with Palestinian flags were seen walking out of the stadium.Seinfeld, who is Jewish, has shown support for Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

At time of writing, the conflict has led to the deaths of over 34,600 Palestinians. The comedian previously visited Israel following the attacks by Hamas on October 7 last year, which killed over 1,200 people.Seinfeld also received boos as he was being introduced – though it was unclear whether those were aimed at the comedian or the protestors – and some in the audience were also heard shouting “Jerry” repeatedly.

He was able to deliver his speech.Duke University students walking out of commencement ceremony as Jerry Seinfeld is introduced pic.twitter.com/ckJLAKUr97— Your Thighness (@RevHonorable) May 12, 2024In response to the protests, Duke spokesperson Frank Tramble said (via NBC News): “We’re excited and delighted for the Class of 2024 and their families.“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.”The walkout comes amid a wave of protests across US campuses in support of Gaza, with many protestors facing aggression and arrests from authorities.