Protests over the Israel-Hamas war have spread across U.S. university and college campuses in recent weeks, shutting down numerous commencement events and leading to mass disruptions.
Jewish comedian Jerry Seinfeld took the protesters head-on at Duke University’s commencement over the weekend. Despite the ongoing unrest, Seinfeld took the stage and poked fun of “woke” politics.
Protesters in the crowd waved the Palestinian flag, which features red, green, black, and white colors, and chanted “Free Palestine” amid a mix of boos and cheers from the audience before dozens stormed off.
Seinfeld, best known for his decade-long namesake show that became one of the most popular in U.S. television history, was at the university to receive an honorary doctorate.
Love this! Jerry Seinfeld: "Privilege today seems to be the worst thing you can have. I would like to take a moment to defend it!… We're embarrassed about things we should be proud of and proud of things we should be embarrassed about!" pic.twitter.com/7Nh53uEg3I
— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) May 13, 2024
The comedian and actor has been a vocal supporter of Israel since the country invaded Gaza to dismantle Hamas after the organization attacked Israel and killed approximately 1,200 people in the southern region on Oct. 7.
While the protest at Duke University garnered attention, it was relatively muted compared to the encampments and riots that have roiled campuses across the country in recent weeks. These demonstrations have resulted in nearly 2,900 arrests of students and other, non-student instigators.
The ongoing protests on college and university campuses highlight the deep divisions among Democrats surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict. As the war continues, it is likely that these radical far-Left demonstrations will persist.
Despite the disruptions and arrests, most of Duke’s commencement exercises were able to proceed as planned, allowing graduates to celebrate their achievements and mark the end of their academic journeys.