THE PROTESTS AT TODAY'S CAMPUS WIDE COMMENCEMENT GOT LOUD, WITH SPEAKERS SHOUTING OVER THE CHANTING AND ASKING PROTESTERS TO TAKE THEIR MESSAGE SOMEWHERE ELSE. ABC7 NEWS REPORTER CORNELL BERNARD SPOKE TO SOME GRADUATES AND PARENTS UPSET BY THE INTERRUPTION. >> CAL'S COMMENCEMENT, HONORING NEARLY 7000 UNDERGRADUATES BEGAN PEACEFULLY INSIDE MEMORIAL STADIUM, BUT MINUTES LATER, THE OCCUPATION HAS GOT TO GO. THE CEREMONY, DISRUPTED BY SEVERAL DOZEN PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS SHOUTING FROM THE STANDS. THE PROTEST WAS SO LOUD THE CEREMONY WAS DELAYED AT TIMES. SPEAKERS FORCED TO WAIT IT OUT, OUT OF PROTEST. SO I GET IT. SOME STUDENTS IN THE STANDS DISPLAYED THE ISRAELI FLAG. THE CHANTS GOT LOUDER AS MORE PRO-PALESTINIAN STUDENTS JOINED IN. SOME OF THE DEMONSTRATORS THEN WALKED OUT OF THE STADIUM PROTESTING OUTSIDE. FREE FREE FREE PALESTINE. >> AS A BERKELEY STUDENT, WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF PROTESTING AND WE DID THE SAME FOR APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA. IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT. IN 20 YEARS FROM NOW, THE UNIVERSITY IS GOING TO RECOGNIZE IT AS THAT. >> SOME UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE CHANGED OR CANCELED COMMENCEMENT IN THE WAKE OF CAMPUS ENCAMPMENTS PROTESTING ISRAEL'S WAR WITH HAMAS. BUT BERKELEY'S GRADUATION WENT ON AS PLANNED. CHANCELLOR CAROL CHRIST ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK OVER THE CROWD, CALLING FOR TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING. >> WE HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER. I FEEL PASSIONATELY THAT WE MUST WORK TO REGAIN THIS CAPACITY, WHATEVER OUR BELIEFS AND PERSPECTIVES, NOT EVERYBODY IN THE CROWD SUPPORTED THIS PROTEST. >> THEY SAY IT WAS DROWNING OUT THEIR BIG DAY. STUDENT MAKAYLA FOROUZAN SAYS SHE HAD NO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION DUE TO COVID, AND NOW HER COLLEGE GRADUATION IS BEING DISRUPTED. >> I CAN'T HEAR THE SPEAKERS AT ALL. AND YOU KNOW, WE WORKED HARD FOR FOUR YEARS AND TRULY, THIS IS A BERKELEY DEGREE. WE'RE EXTREMELY SADDENED. I'VE WAITED FOR THIS DAY FOR A VERY LONG TIME TO SEE MY SON GRADUATE. >> HE'S THE FIRST IN OUR FAMILY TO DO SO, AND IT'S REALLY DISTURBING BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THEIR FEELINGS. BUT IT'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE TIME OR PLACE. >> YOU KNOW, OUR SON IS A HE CAME HERE TO STUDY ENGINEERING, NOT IDIOCY. >> IN A STATEMENT, THE UNIVERSITY SAID WHILE TODAY'S COMMENCEMENT WAS AT TIMES, UNFORTUNATELY DISRUPTED, IT DID NOT PREVENT US FROM HONORING THE HARD WORK AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS. SATURDAY'S PROTEST WAS PEACEFUL. NO ARRESTS
