Undergraduate Logan Rozos told the crowd Wednesday that he denounced the “atrocities currently taking place in Palestine” and portrayed cheers and some boos, the BBC reported
A NYU spokesman accused Rozos of lying about what he had said in his speech to “express his personal and unilateral political views.”
The defense of Palestine on university campuses has been heavily politicized in the United States as the Trump administration cracks down on what has been called anti-Semitism in elite institutions and stirs up debates about free speech.
The NYU said it was “strongly condemned” and “I’m deeply sorry” for Mr. Rozos’ comments, adding that “this moment was stolen by the person who abused the privileges granted him.”
University spokesman John Beckman said Lozos’ diploma was withheld and New will pursue disciplinary action against him.
After being featured on stage, the undergraduate said he was “good about this speech” but he felt compelled to make a statement.
“The genocide that is currently occurring is politically and militarily supported by the United States, paid by our taxes and is being streamed live to our mobile phones,” he said.
“I condemn this genocide and the accomplices in this genocide,” added Rozos in a statement that lasted about two and a half minutes.
He did not specifically mention Israel. Israel has denies accusations of Gaza and Jewish genocide, highlighting it.
Rozos’ subsequent profile on the NYU website shows that he studied cultural critique and political economy at a small liberal arts school on campus.
In another online profile, Rozos is called “Actor, Artist, Gay Black Transman.”
NYU is one of ten universities that have been investigated by Trump’s anti-Semitism task force for incidents on campus since the Israeli-Gaza War began in October 2023.
However, NYU was not the case among the 60 universities that have been warned by the Department of Education to warn “enforcement action” if it did not protect Jewish students.
Baron, the son of the US President, is a student at NYU and is registered with the Stern School of Business.
Perhaps under the most pressure from the administration, the university is America’s oldest Harvard.
Trump has cut more than $2.6 billion (£2 billion) in funding. This is a decision that the university claims it will hinder research into serious illnesses.
Harvard filed a lawsuit alleging that the lawsuit was illegal. It also rejected a list of requests that the Trump administration said were designed to curb suspected discrimination.
Separately, several foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian activities on US campuses have been detained in recent months.
The Trump administration claims they have expressed their support for Hamas.
Student lawyers say they are exercising their right to free speech, denounced the government for “open suppression of student activities and political speech.”
MNA