Protest and Walkout at Stanford’s 2026 Commencement Ceremony
স ট য নফ র ড র – During Stanford University’s 2026 commencement event, a protest erupted against Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s speech. Approximately 200 students left the venue in protest, displaying Palestinian flags, playing instruments, and chanting slogans. Some participants also wore keffiyeh scarves to symbolize solidarity with Palestinians.
Organized by Student Groups
The demonstration was coordinated by two organizations: “Students for Justice in Palestine” and “No Tech for Apartheid.” Their demands targeted Google’s collaborations with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the I.C.E. The focus was particularly on Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing agreement between Google and the Israeli government, which has faced prolonged criticism.
Students argued that the project supports Israel’s technological advancements at the expense of Palestinian interests. Despite the walkout, Pichai continued his speech without addressing artificial intelligence (AI), unlike other university speakers this year who faced backlash for mentioning AI.
“Tech leaders are now under scrutiny for their positive remarks on AI, so Pichai avoided the topic,” analysts noted.
Following the protest, many students joined an alternative event titled “Peoples’ Commemoration.” The keynote speaker at this gathering was Muhammad Khalil, who had previously been detained for over 100 days by U.S. immigration authorities in 2024 for his involvement in the Palestinian movement.
