From the Liveblog of
Monday, June 15, 2026
Stanford anti-Zionist student protesters walk out of Google CEO’s commencement speech
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLuke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.
Anti-Zionist student protesters at Stanford University walk out of a commencement speech by Google CEO and Stanford alum Sundar Pichai.
The elite university’s branch of Students for Justice in Palestine and other protest groups announced the protest last month, saying the walkout was in response to Google’s connections to Israel.
“We don’t need another tech billionaire to tell us how to get rich off of the killing and surveillance of Palestinians,” Stanford SJP said. “Take a stance against war profiteering. Tell the Google CEO that he is not welcome.”
Stanford grads walk out as Google CEO Sundar Pichai takes the stage as commencement speaker. No mention of AI, unlike other uni speakers getting booed down this year. Story for @sfgate shortly pic.twitter.com/qvS2rJ91Ip
— Matt Brown (@maattttbrown) June 14, 2026
Videos show dozens of students walking out of the commencement ceremony, holding Palestinian flags and chanting, “Free Palestine.”
US students have repeatedly turned commencement ceremonies into anti-Israel protests in the years since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel and the start of the war in Gaza, as well as before the war.
The Times of Israel Community.