Anti-Israel protesters disrupt college commencement ceremonies as campus demonstrations continue

Click here to follow continuing Fox News Digital coverage of the anti-Israel protests that are disrupting U.S. college campuses.

Former University of Texas, Austin lecturer Richard Heyman was arrested after an incident during a protest at the campus on May 2, 2024. (Travis County)

A University of Texas-Austin lecturer not only lost his job but is now facing a criminal charge after he was arrested for his alleged involvement in an anti-Israel protest on the campus earlier this month.

FOX 7 in Austin reported that 57-year-old Richard Heyman had been employed by the University of Texas for nearly 18 years. His most recent position at the school was as a lecturer.

According to the university’s website, Heyman has taught courses in subjects like urban studies and contemporary cultural geography, and his interests include urban geography, critical theory and Marxism.

This is an excerpt of a story by Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner. Click here to read the full report.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Hundreds of Jewish students at Columbia University have signed an open letter defending Zionism and condemning anti-Israel protests that have rocked campuses in recent weeks and spread to others nationwide.

In the letter, the signatories commented that they are just regular students “trying to make it through finals much like the rest of you.” But the encampments and anti-Israel protests, they said, have forced them into activism and into publicly defending their Jewish identities.

“We proudly believe in the Jewish People’s right to self-determination in our historic homeland as a fundamental tenet of our Jewish identity,” they wrote. “Contrary to what many have tried to sell you – no, Judaism cannot be separated from Israel. Zionism is, simply put, the manifestation of that belief.”

They noted that their religious texts are “replete with references to Israel, Zion, and Jerusalem” and “Israel is filled with archaeological remnants of a Jewish presence spanning centuries.”

Despite this, they said, the Jewish people have never given up on the idea of returning to their homeland.

They note that Zionism “remains a pillar of our Jewish identities,” and remind readers of the long list of countries that Jews have been kicked out of.

Israel, they argued, is not just their ancestral homeland, but “the only place in the modern world where Jews can safely take ownership of their own destiny.”

“Our experiences at Columbia in the last six months are poignant reminder of just that,” they said.

The letter ends with affirmation of their Jewish and Zionist identifies, and a call to repair Columbia University together.

Dozens of graduating students walked out of Virginia Commonwealth University Saturday morning after Glenn Youngkin took the stage to deliver a commencement address.

Video of the incident shows throngs of graduates exiting Greater Richmond Convention Center as the Republican governor began talking. A few could be heard cheering the students on.

The governor, who also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters at Saturday’s commencement, did not acknowledge those leaving and carried on with his speech.

The dissenters marched around the perimeter chanting, “No books, no peace, let the knowledge increase” and “disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.” Later a group of graduates, many still wearing their graduation gowns, ended up in a park, chanting: “the people united will never be defeated.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the VCU and the governor’s office for comment.

Similar scenes broke out at other commencement ceremonies across the country on Saturday, following weeks of unrest on college campuses that saw anti-Israel protesters square off against administrators. 

Jerry Seinfeld received an honorary degree from Duke University. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Dozens of students at Duke University walked out on legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s commencement speech on Sunday, with some chanting “free Palestine,” according to videos of the ceremony posted on social media.  

The student protesters staged the walkout just as Seinfeld, who is Jewish and a vocal supporter of Israel, was introduced, according to the videos.

Some students carried Palestinian flags as they left the stadium. Other graduates and guests chanted “Jerry! Jerry!” as the comedian took the stage to receive an honorary degree.

Seinfeld delivered his speech without major interruptions, Reuters reported. 

Seinfeld has been vocal in his support of Israel multiple times since Hamas terrorists launched surprise attacks on residential areas in Israel on Oct. 7. 

Seinfeld posted an "I Stand With Israel" image on his Instagram account two days after Hamas' attacks. 

In December, Seinfeld visited Israel with his family and reportedly had an "emotional" meeting with the freed hostages and representatives of families whose loved ones are still held captive in Gaza, Israeli news outlet Haaretz reported at the time.

Banners and signs along a fence at the protest encampment at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland on May 2, 2024. (Linus Berggren for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Johns Hopkins University became the latest university to reach an agreement with anti-Israel student protesters on Sunday. 

The university announced that student protesters agreed to permanently dismantle an encampment on the Beach at the Homewood campus, effective immediately. Protesters not affiliated with the university have been directed to leave the campus. 

In exchange, the university said it “promised a timely review of the protesters' key question of divestment” from Israel. 

The university also said it will conclude student conduct proceedings that are related to the encampment protest “provided the protesters agree not to engage in further disruptions of university activities, including Commencement.” Meanwhile, conduct proceedings will continue for allegations related to violence, assault property damage, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or threats. 

The Hopkins Justice Collective, the group that represents the anti-Israel protesters at the school, released its own statement saying that it “will continue to pressure the university” while awaiting the university’s discussions on divestment from Israel. 

“While this agreement is in no way a total victory, it represents a step towards Johns Hopkins’ commitment to divest from the settler colonial state of Israel,” the Hopkins Justice Collective said. 

Hopkins said that bringing the situation on campus to a peaceful resolution since demonstrations began on April 29 has been an urgent priority. The school said it remains committed to free expression in a safe manner in accordance with university rules. 

"This is a truly difficult time in our world and at our university, with the anguish of the ongoing conflict and human tragedy in Israel and Gaza,” university President Ron Daniels said. “It is my fervent hope that at Hopkins, we can together continue our focus on the important work of a university—to engage in dialogue and learning with one another regarding challenging and complex issues such as these."

A group of protesters were filmed vandalizing the office of UNC Interim Chancellor Lee Roberts on Saturday as part of an anti-Israel demonstration.

One demonstrator was seen writing "LEE ROBERTS IS A FASCIST" and "F--- UNC" in marker on the exterior of the campus building. The protester also wrote on the windows, which were covered in red paint.

The steps were also covered in red paint, and one message on the building read: "YOU SUPPORT GENOCIDE.

"Last week, Roberts removed a Palestinian flag that was hung by protesters and replaced it with an American one.

"This university doesn’t belong to a small group of protesters. It belongs to every citizen of North Carolina," Roberts said at the time. "Everybody in North Carolina, everybody who goes to school here, everybody who lives and works here. The flag represents all of us."

"Take down that flag, and put up another flag, no matter what flag it is – that’s antithetical to who we are, what this university stands for."

Anti-Israel protesters reportedly walked out during Gov. Youngkin's commencement address at Virginia Commonwealth University on Saturday. (Minh Connors for The Washington Post via Getty Images, File)

A group of students, including keffiyeh-wearing protesters, reportedly walked out of a commencement address given by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin on Saturday.

Youngkin was delivering remarks to Virginia Commonwealth University graduates at the Greater Richmond Convention Center at the time of the protest.

The Washington Post reported that the walk-out involved dozens of students.

One sign reportedly read, "Teach Black history," while another said: "Book bans [do not equal] respect for learning.

"Youngkin has been accused of "banning" books in Virginia schools after he signed a bill in 2022 aiming to remove books with adult content from public schools.

At the time, Youngkin said he hoped the law would "enhance education...and make government work better for the people of Virginia."

A second pro-Palestine protest erupts during the UC Berkeley Law School commencement at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, Calif. Friday, May 10, 2024. (Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

UC Berkeley's campus-wide commencement ceremony was interrupted on Saturday morning when a large group of anti-Israel protesters began loudly chanting.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the protest included hundreds of demonstrators. The majority of protesters were graduating students, wearing their caps and gowns. Graduating UC Berkeley Law students also protested their graduation ceremony on Friday.

Sydney Roberts, president of the Associated Students of the University of California, was addressing the graduates when her speech was briefly interrupted.

“This wouldn’t be Berkeley without a protest,” she said wryly.

The Chronicle reported that UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ shared some sympathetic words towards the rowdy students.

“They feel passionately about the brutality and the violence in Gaza, tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and the destruction of educational institutions,” she reportedly said, prompting cheers.

Pro-Palestine protesters set up an encampment at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, United States on May 5, 2024. (Photo by Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

DePaul University anti-Israel protesters were joined by Chicago alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez Saturday night, according to ABC 7 in Chicago.

DePaul President Robert Manuel said an agreement between university officials and the pro-Palestinian encampment, which has been on the campus quad since April 30, has yet to be reached.

Manuel wrote in a letter he believes demonstrators have "sincere intentions to peacefully protest," but added they've "inadvertently" created public safety issues.

Protesters at DePaul have been urging the university to be more transparent with its investments in Israel, as well as a cease fire in Gaza.

Sigcho-Lopez reportedly supported the demonstrators on campus Saturday night, ABC 7 stated.