Protesters did not replace U.S. flag with Palestinian flags during protests at Harvard University
Palestinian flags were briefly displayed at Harvard University, however they did not replace a U.S. flag
CLAIM
Student protesters replaced the U.S. flag with Palestinian flags at Harvard University.
BACKGROUND
A protest movement calling for universities to divest from Israel-related investments that started two weeks ago at Columbia University has since spread to dozens of campuses across the U.S. and beyond despite heavy police crackdowns and threats by universities to suspend participating students.
As the protests spread, a video widely shared online showed student protesters cheering as a Palestinian flag was raised at Harvard University.
The video and two still images were posted to an account on X and had a displayed view count of 2.7 million along with the claim that the protesters had “replaced” the U.S. flag outside the university hall.
The video was also shared by conservative activist and podcast host Graham Allen and viewed 5.4 million times along with the caption “They’re making a mockery of Harvard.”
METHOD
A reverse image search on Google revealed the statue in the video as the John Harvard statue, which is located outside University Hall in Harvard Yard, confirming the video was filmed at Harvard University.
In order to establish if the U.S. flag was removed in order for the Palestinian flag to be flown, we checked the media statements page on the harvard.edu website and found that the university had issued a statement on April 27 which contained the university’s flag-raising and lowering procedures.
“University procedures are that the American flag is raised on University Hall each Monday through Friday at 7am and lowered at 4pm for proper storage,” the statement read.
According to a report from Harvard’s student newspaper The Harvard Crimson, three Palestinian flags were raised between 6 p.m. and 6:23 p.m. before being quickly lowered, meaning they were not raised at a time the U.S. flag would have been flying.
Harvard University confirmed this in their statement, saying that the “American flag was not flying on University Hall at the time the other flags were raised” before adding that the “flags raised by protesters over University Hall were removed by Harvard facilities staff.”
“The protesters’ actions are a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action,” Harvard University added.
RATING
Palestinian flags were briefly displayed at Harvard University, however they did not replace a U.S. flag.
SOURCES
X (formerly Twitter). (2024). Harvard has REPLACED the American flag with the Palestinian flag [Accessed 30 Apr. 2024].
X (formerly Twitter). (2024). Harvard students cheer as they replace an American Flag… [Accessed 30 Apr. 2024].
harvard.edu Harvard University Statement April 27 [Accessed 30 Apr. 2024].
thecrimson.com Encampment Protesters Briefly Raise 3 Palestinian Flags…[Accessed 30 Apr. 2024].