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Notre Dame Students Walk Out During Pence Commencement Address

Mike and Karen Pence / Getty
Mike and Karen Pence / Getty
May 21, 2017

Dozens of Notre Dame students walked out in protest during Vice President Mike Pence's commencement address at the university on Sunday. The walk-out, organized by a student group called "We StaND For," was documented live on Periscope.

We StaND For issued its call for a walk out on Twitter last Monday. "Mike Pence's policies target the most vulnerable groups in our society," the group wrote. "Consider showing solidarity with these groups by joining" the walk-out.

The group tweeted out a Periscope video of the walk-out, documenting students standing and quietly departing as Pence took the stage.

Before departing, the students could be heard discussing whether or not to walk out. "I think I want to stay and boo," one quipped. Indeed, as the students walked out, loud booing could be heard from the audience.

Rob Bennett, the Creative Communications Director for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D.), tweeted out more footage of the students walking out shortly thereafter.

https://twitter.com/rob_bennett/status/866316404873625600

As of the day of the commencement, 140 had RSVPed as "going" on the walk-out's official Facebook event.

Pence is the first Vice President of the United States to address Notre Dame.