University at Buffalo graduate chased down by security for bringing his baby onstage during graduation ceremony
Video captured security chasing a graduate who brought a baby on stage during a ceremony at University at Buffalo.
A graduate of the University at Buffalo was chased down by security officials for bringing his baby onstage as he received his degree.
In a video published by Storyful, Jean-Paul Al-Arab – graduating on Sunday from the UB College of Arts, Natural Sciences and Mathematics – is seen holding his baby while speaking with security offstage in the beginning of the video.
Al-Arab is then seen walking towards the stage before breaking into a sudden sprint when his name is called while holding his baby, prompting police and security to chase after him.
Loud hoots and cheers can be heard erupting from the crowd as he gets onstage and receives his scroll in the footage.
'I was at my college graduation when an altercation began between a graduate student and campus security and police,' Emma Gochman, the person who took the video, told Storyful. 'He was not allowed to cross stage with his baby and the students were outraged. I knew I had to share what happened to get justice.'
In an official statement , the University at Buffalo called the incident 'a violation of commencement rules.'
Although the situation created a 'light-hearted moment,' the university said commencement rules state that 'only graduating students may participate in the graduation ceremony, including walking in the processional and crossing the stage.'
The statement then said Al-Arab subsequently apologized for the disruption in an email to commencement officials after the ceremony.
'The graduate who broke the rules on Sunday will not be penalized and will still receive his degree from the university,' the statement said.
'The infant, despite crossing the stage in a cap and gown, has not yet earned enough credits to receive a diploma. We hope to see him back on stage in about 20 years so he can follow in his dad's footsteps.'
Meanwhile, Al-Arab took to social media to clarify what happened on the day of his graduation ceremony.
He said he was initially told it would not be a problem for him to take his son onstage during the ceremony.
'When the time came, they tried to stop me and even called the police. They tried to escort me out, but honestly, the only reason they let me go was because of all you who cheered and supported me,' Al-Arab said.
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