In a surprising turn of events, the leadership of Harvard-Epworth Church has expressed anger and dismay after their venue became the site of a large-scale protest known as the "People's Commencement." The protest took place following a pro-Palestine walkout during Harvard's graduation ceremony.

According to a Friday email sent to the church's congregation, pastors Mitch Hay and Barb Lemmel stated that they did not grant permission to Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine (HOOP) to host the protest. They believed the venue was rented out to a "small student group" aiming to honor the 13 undergraduates who were unable to graduate due to their involvement in a 20-day encampment in Harvard Yard.

Hay and Lemmel expressed their frustration in the email, asserting that the protest held within the sanctuary was not approved by Harvard-Epworth. They were troubled by the overly political nature of the event and disappointed that they were not present to provide in-person leadership, as they were on vacation in Italy at the time.

Contrary to claims by HOOP organizer Lea H. Kayali, the church leadership stated that they were not informed about the "People's Commencement," impending demonstrations, or HOOP's involvement. Lemmel further clarified in a statement to The Crimson that the church's administration was unaware of banners being hung on the altar or any flags of nations displayed or waved in the sanctuary, emphasizing their dismay at the lack of awareness and respect for their sacred space.

Over 1,000 individuals participated in the walkout at Harvard's Commencement, protesting as interim University President Alan M. Garber '76 began conferring degrees on graduating students. Following the walkout, a significant number of participants proceeded to Harvard-Epworth Church, where the alternative graduation event was staged to honor the 13 students prevented from graduating.

In another revelation, Lemmel disclosed that the student who rented the venue for the "People's Commencement" had previously rented it for a different Harvard student group, leading the church's administration to assume it was for the same organization. However, Lemmel received an email from the student clarifying that she did not rent the space on behalf of the current group.

According to HOOP's statement, the student who made the rental request informed the church that the space was being reserved for Harvard students and community members who wanted to celebrate the 13 seniors denied their degrees and mourn the loss of Palestinian lives. HOOP acknowledged that the church may have assumed the student was reserving space on behalf of a different organization but emphasized that the student did not indicate such.

In an email to their congregation, Hay and Lemmel highlighted Harvard-Epworth's history of serving as a forum for respectful conversations about controversial issues. They expressed disappointment in the nationalistic tone of the demonstration, which they believed clashed with the values of the church as a place of worship.

While HOOP commended the staff of Harvard-Epworth Church for being welcoming and supportive, they did not address the church's claims that the protest was unauthorized and that its leadership was misled by organizers. HOOP expressed gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate the students affected by the Harvard administration's actions and uplift Palestinian voices.

It remains to be seen how this development will impact the relationship between Harvard-Epworth Church and student groups seeking to use its premises for events centered around activism and advocacy.

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