VIDEO: NYU blocks diploma after speech mentions Gaza

New York University (NYU) has withheld the diploma of graduating student Logan Rozos after he used his commencement speech to denounce US support for what he called a "genocide in Gaza."

Rozos, an undergraduate at NYU, said during a graduation ceremony on Wednesday that he condemned "the atrocities currently happening in Palestine," a statement that drew both applause and standing ovations as well as boos from the audience.

An NYU spokesperson accused Rozos of misrepresenting the content of his speech ahead of time in order to deliver "personal and one-sided political views" during a formal university event.

"NYU strongly denounces and is deeply sorry for Mr. Rozos' remarks," university spokesperson John Beckman said in a statement. "This moment was stolen by someone who abused a privilege that was conferred upon him." Beckman added that the university would withhold Rozos' diploma while disciplinary action is pursued.

In his roughly two-and-a-half minute address, Rozos said he had been “freaking out about this speech,” but felt compelled to speak out:

“The genocide currently occurring is supported politically and militarily by the United States, is paid for by our tax dollars, and has been live-streamed to our phones,” he said. “I condemn this genocide and complicity in this genocide.”

Rozos did not explicitly mention 'Israel' or Jewish people in his remarks. 'Israel' has firmly rejected allegations of genocide in Gaza, calling such claims unfounded and antisemitic.

A now-deleted NYU profile described Rozos as a student of cultural criticism and political economy. In another online biography, he is described as an “actor, artist, and gay Black trans man.”

Rozos' speech comes amid escalating tensions on US campuses over pro-Palestinian activism, particularly following the start of the 'Israeli' aggression on Gaza in 2023. The Trump administration has launched a wide-ranging crackdown on what it labels antisemitism at elite universities, intensifying debate over the limits of free speech.

NYU is among 10 universities being investigated by the Trump administration’s antisemitism task force over alleged campus incidents. However, it was not among the 60 universities that received formal warnings from the Department of Education threatening “enforcement action” if Jewish students were not adequately protected.

Meanwhile, several foreign students have been detained in recent months for participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The Trump administration alleges that some expressed support for Hamas and has called for their deportation. Lawyers representing the students argue their clients were engaged in constitutionally protected political speech.

The controversy at NYU follows similar pressure at other institutions, including Harvard University, which recently filed a lawsuit after the Trump administration cut over $2.6 billion in federal funding, citing alleged discrimination on campus. Harvard has denied the accusations and rejected a list of demands from the administration intended to address antisemitism.

NYU, one of the country’s most prominent universities, also counts among its students Barron Trump, the son of the US president, who is enrolled at the Stern School of Business.