Mass protest at Stanford University graduation as soon as Google CEO Sundar Pichai takes the stage
New York Post • • business
Key Points:
- Over 100 Stanford graduates walked out of the university’s commencement ceremony as Google CEO Sundar Pichai began his keynote address, chanting “Free, free Palestine” and booing the speaker.
- The protest was organized by far-left groups including Students for Justice in Palestine and No Tech for Apartheid, who have criticized Google’s involvement in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with the Israeli government.
- Critics argue that Project Nimbus technology could be used by Israeli military and security forces in ways that harm Palestinians, leading to internal protests and employee firings at Google earlier in 2024.
- The walkout reflects a broader trend of student unrest at graduation ceremonies nationwide, where speakers with ties to Big Tech and controversial political stances have faced protests.
- Despite the disruption, Pichai continued his speech, emphasizing optimism and adaptability amid uncertainty, without addressing AI or geopolitical issues directly.
