MIT bans class president from graduation commencement after pro-Palestinian speech

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology banned the 2025 class president Megha Vemuri from Friday's graduation commencement after she delivered a pro-Palestinian speech.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology banned the 2025 class president from Friday's graduation commencement ceremony after she delivered a pro-Palestinian speech during an event Thursday.

The university made the announcement on Friday without naming the student, saying that she delivered a speech at Thursday's OneMIT commencement ceremony that was not the one provided in advance.

"While that individual had a scheduled role at today’s Undergraduate Degree Ceremony, she was notified that she would not be permitted at today’s events," said university spokesperson Kimberly Allen. "MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organizers and leading a protest from the stage, disrupting an important Institute ceremony."

The speech was shared online by the Palestinian Youth Movement, which named the student as Megha Vemuri. Vemuri wore a Keffiyeh during the speech, and called out MIT for having research ties with the Israel army and "aiding and abetting" the country with its "assault on the Palestinian people."

Israel's war in Gaza has killed over 52,000 people since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 people hostage. Israel has received intense criticism from around the world, including from the United Nations, for its actions in Gaza, which include cutting off aid to the enclave.