Former Governor of Indiana and current Vice President of the United States Mike Pence delivered Notre Dame’s commencement speech on Sunday to a mixed reception. There were cheers and boos ringing out from the event’s attendees, but it was a silent action that appears to have captured the most attention.
The Indianapolis Star reports that over 100 grads at the ceremony quietly walked out during Pence’s remarks. You can see the students take to the exit in the above footage from Fox News with a flourish of rainbow regalia as they leave and a crowd a sludgy mix of cheering and jeering. (According to WNDU, the booing was directed at the boycotting grads for walking out on Pence.) The walkout wasn’t a surprise, mind you. Students had been planning the walkout since word arrived that the ultra conservative VP would be speaking at the commencement.
“Congratulations to a generation of promise. We are proud of you all,” Pence told the crowd. “For this son of Indiana, it is great to be back home again.”
A privilege to receive the degree Doctors of Law, Honoris Causa from @NotreDame. Thank you Fr. Jenkins & to the entire ND community. #ND2017 pic.twitter.com/GO1of1jsKl
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) May 21, 2017
The student organization WeStaNDFor states that the reason for their walkout is over Pence’s position on LGBT rights, immigration, sanctuary cities, and Syrian refugees.
(Via The Indianapolis Star, Fox News & WNDU)