Anti-Israel Protest Disrupts Sundar Pichai’s Stanford Commencement Speech

More than 100 Stanford University graduates walked out of the school’s commencement ceremony on Sunday as Google CEO Sundar Pichai began the main address, protesting Google’s business ties with Israel and its role in Project Nimbus. Video posted on social media showed the graduates leaving the stadium and chanting, “Free Palestine” and “Free, Free Palestine.” The protest was organized by anti-Israel campus groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine and No Tech for Apartheid.

The demonstrators also accused Google of supporting “genocide in Palestine,” echoing slogans that appeared in posts about the disruption. The article says the protest took place during Stanford’s prestigious graduation event, which was meant to inspire students before they enter the professional world.

For Pichai, who earned a master’s degree in materials science and engineering from Stanford in 1995, the appearance had a personal dimension. He was invited this year to serve as the keynote speaker for the university’s 135th graduating class.

Despite the mass exit and chants from the stands, Pichai kept his composure, did not interrupt his remarks, and continued as planned. He avoided responding to the protest and instead spoke about optimism, change, and the importance of adaptability in a dynamic environment.