The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MA), the state’s leading Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on Harvard Divinity School to uphold its own standards of academic freedom by releasing a commencement speech that it reportedly withheld from publication because the speaker condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide in the speech.
The speaker, Zehra Imam, reportedly said:
“There are no safe zones left in Gaza after 600 days and 77 years of genocide…I center Palestine today, not just because of its scale of atrocity but because of our complicity in it…Class of 2025, Palestine is waiting for you to arrive. And you must be courageous enough to rise to the call because Palestine will keep showing up in your living rooms until you are ready to meet its gaze.”
The Intercept reports: “Harvard did not publish a video of the speech on its website or YouTube page, as it did with commencement speeches in past years. When Imam and her co-speakers asked why, the school told them the decision was made due to ‘security concerns.’”
In a statement, CAIR-MA Executive Director Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Esq. said:
“We stand in solidarity with students and faculty speaking out against Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and reject all efforts to politicize, silence or control free speech. Harvard Divinity School should immediately follow past precedent and publish the speaker’s anti-genocide remarks online.”
Last month, CAIR-MA condemned the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for reportedly banning MIT class of 2025 president Megha Vemuri from attending her undergraduate graduation ceremonies because she delivered an anti-genocide speech critical of MIT’s collaboration with the Israeli military a day earlier.
Earlier this week, CAIR announced the filing of a lawsuit against the Montgomery County Board of Education in Rockville, Maryland, challenging Sligo Middle School’s rule prohibiting teachers from displaying the Palestinian flag but allowing the display of other flags, including that if Israel.
Earlier this year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report “Unconstitutional Crackdowns,” which reveals that Islamophobia continues to be at an all-time high across the country. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Barbara J. Dougan, Esq., CAIR-MA Legal Director, (781) 281-9992, bdougan@cair.com; Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, Esq., CAIR-MA Executive Director, (617) 862-9159, tamatul-wadud@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com