Harvard president's speech interrupted by animal rights activist, anti-Israel students

Harvard Interim President Alan Garber’s Alumni Day speech on June 3 saw disruptions from both anti-Israel protesters and an animal rights activist. 

A June 3 Instagram post from the group Harvard Alumni for Palestine features a video showing alumni of the university walking out of Garber’s address at the annual event.

Alumni, some of whom wore keffiyehs, held banners that read, “Disclose, Divest,” “F*** repression,” and “Harvard funds genocide,” among others. Some of the students wore face masks as well. 

[RELATED: ‘USA, USA’: Anti-Israel activists laughed at by patriotic grads for dropping Palestinian banner at BU commencement]

The post features rap singer Macklemore’s anti-Israel song “Hind’s Hall” in the background. 

In the caption for the post, the group wrote: “Harvard alumni stage walkout during President Garber’s speech on Harvard’s Alumni Day to demand divestment as Rafah is being massacred by the Israeli regime.”

Continuing, it wrote: “According to Harvard, Alumni Day is a ‘global event honoring alumni impact.’ While Harvard ‘celebrates’ its alumni, and continues to be complicit in genocide and apartheid, every single university in Gaza has been destroyed.”

The group added: “Alumni walked out during interim president Garber’s speech to make our ‘alumni impact’ loud and clear: there shall not be a moment of peace until Harvard discloses, divests, and reverses the sanctions against students protesting genocide. On this Alumni Day, we invite Harvard alumni across the world to sign our pledge NO DIVESTMENT NO DONATIONS.”   

The anti-Israel protesters were not the only ones to disrupt the Alumni Day event. 

[RELATED: Pro-Hamas UMass grads disrupt commencement, hold alternative ceremony]

An animal rights activist approached Garber while he was giving his speech, shouting: “For the baby monkeys!” before pouring gold glitter on Garber’s head, to loud boos from the audience at her behavior. 

“For the baby monkeys!”

An animal rights activist was arrested after dumping glitter on Harvard President Alan Garber as he began his Alumni Day address.

He responds by saying, “I hope that Harvard will always continue to be a place where free speech continues to thrive.” pic.twitter.com/yQXlBWO1DT

— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) June 1, 2024

Garber responded by stating: “I hope that Harvard will always continue to be a place where free speech continues to thrive,” prompting cheers from the audience. 

Campus Reform has contacted Harvard University and Harvard Alumni for Palestine for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.