More than 100 students staged a walkout during Stanford University's commencement ceremony as Google CEO Sundar Pichai began delivering the keynote address, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Graduates left their seats at Stanford Stadium shortly after Pichai took the stage, chanting "Free, free Palestine."
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
— Matt Brown (@maattttbrown)[@sfgate]shortly[pic.twitter.com/qvS2rJ91Ip][June 14, 2026] The demonstration was reportedly organized by student groups including Students for Justice in Palestine and No Tech for Apartheid.
The protest was aimed at drawing attention to the situation in Gaza and criticism of major technology companies over their involvement in government and military projects.
The walkout took place in front of graduates, faculty members and guests attending the commencement ceremony. Despite the disruption, the ceremony continued and Pichai proceeded with his address to the graduating class.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Palestinian students were eligible to apply for Kazakhstan's general scholarship program for foreign citizens. The new initiative introduces a dedicated quota for Palestinian nationals.