Uni edits out graduate speech over Palestine

LIVESTREAM CUT AFTER STUDENT DEDICATES DEGREE TO CHILD KILLED IN GAZA

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A PASSIONATE speech from an Aston University graduate was edited out of the ceremony video, sparking outrage.

The event's live stream was also cut as Yazan Danis began to speak about Palestine.

The BSc Product Design and Innovation graduate stood in front of ceremony guests, faculty and fellow graduates as he dedicated his degree to Hind Rajab.

The five-year-old girl was killed in Palestine after being shot, he claimed. She was found dead in February 2024 after calling for help when her family were killed in front of her.

Her death took place amid the Israeli-Palestinian war in Gaza, which began in October 2023.

The BBC reported that she was six years old, although Yazan and other news outlets list her as five.

At the time of Hind’s death, the BBC stated: "Audio recordings of calls between Hind and emergency call operators suggest that the six-year-old was the only one left alive in the car, hiding from Israeli forces among the bodies of her relatives.

"Her pleas for someone to rescue her ended when the phone line was cut amid the sound of more gunfire."

A video of Yazan’s speech has since been widely shared on social media after it was edited out of the official ceremony footage on the Aston University YouTube channel.

The graduate is from Palestine and wore a Palestinian keffiyeh around his neck as he delivered his speech at ceremony 5 on July 19.