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More than 50 pro-Palestine protesters lined Massachusetts Avenue Thursday morning to demonstrate against the University’s ties to Israel during the war in Gaza while graduating seniors and their families processed into Harvard Yard for the University’s 2025 Commencement exercises.

The demonstration was organized by local branches of several larger pro-Palestine organizations, including Massachusetts Peace Action, Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. It spanned the length of the sidewalk from Johnston Gate to Widener Gate. Protesters held signs calling on Harvard to end repression of pro-Palestine speech, including ones that read “Support Students Punished for Opposing Genocide” and “Stop Arming Israel.”

Vickie Rothbaum, a Cambridge resident who attended the protest, said the groups had chosen to be present at Commencement due to the “visibility” it offered.

“Particularly, just for the people going to graduation,” Rothbaum said. “I don’t want to be on the wrong side of history.”

She said that the group’s plan was to dissipate after the last event attendees entered Harvard Yard and the Commencement ceremonies officially began.

During the protest, organizers also handed out pamphlets to Commencement attendees which accused Harvard of being complicit in “Israel’s policy of extermination” by “repressing voices calling for an end to the genocide.”

The University did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thursday’s protest comes the day after Harvard students at multiple graduate schools and the College applauded the University’s decision to become a defender of academic freedom by standing up to the Trump administration.

While Mark Eisenberg, a physician at Harvard Medical School who handed out pamphlets at the protest, said he was “heartened by Harvard’s willingness to stand up to Trump,” he still had reservations about the University’s overall strategy as it deals with political pressure.

Eisenberg specifically pointed to the University’s decision in March to dismiss the faculty leaders of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, which he said was a concession to the Trump administration.

“I’m just concerned about Harvard’s suppression of free speech,” Eisenberg said. “They are continuing to comply with Trump’s demand to suppress free speech when there’s been this Palestinian exception.”

—Staff writer Samuel A. Church can be reached at samuel.church@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @samuelachurch.