Latest news with #JeanPaulAlArab
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Student at US university sprints past cops during graduation to walk stage with son: 'I promised him'
In a moment that has captured hearts across social media, a University at Buffalo graduate ran across the commencement stage with his young son in his arms, defying university rules and prompting police intervention. Jean Paul Al Arab, who completed his degree in criminology, made the bold move at the university's Alumni Arena on Sunday. The father had promised his son they would collect his diploma together, a vow he kept despite officials warning him the child could not walk with him due to safety concerns. Also read: Las Vegas mom outraged after school gives daughter, classmates sex ed handout in 5th grade 'I ran, that's what I did. I had to. I promised him I was gonna walk with him on the stage,' Al Arab told WGRZ. The moment occurred after all graduates had been called. Al Arab, holding his infant son who was dressed in a blue cap and gown matching his father's, dashed onto the stage, drawing cheers from the crowd. School security and a police officer attempted to stop him, but he made it up the stage, shook hands with administrators, and celebrated briefly before walking off. The emotional display drew applause from the audience and fellow graduates, while some booed the police presence. An officer waited behind Al Arab on the stage and later, several officers met him in the arena. According to Al Arab, the university had initially allowed him to walk with his son. 'During a prep class for commencement, I asked if I could walk with my baby and they told me it was fine,' he explained in a TikTok post. '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 all of you who cheered and supported me.' Al Arab shared that he had worked two jobs, including overnight shifts, while also caring for his son during the day. All of this, he said, he managed while studying full-time at the SUNY campus. 'Here I am graduating with my boy by my side. WE DID IT!' he wrote in the same post. Though he officially graduated in fall 2024 and had already received his diploma, the spring ceremony offered him the chance to walk across the stage. The university, meanwhile, maintained that the rules are in place to ensure safety and fairness. 'Commencement rules are in place for the safety of all those in attendance and to avoid disruptions in the venue, ensuring each graduate is equally provided with a well-deserved moment to individually cross the stage and be recognized for their outstanding accomplishments at UB,' the school said in a statement to WGRZ. 'You put in the work and I am sure the (money). If you want to walk wit the thing that drove you to succeed, there shouldn't be a problem,' one user said. Another added, 'It's so strange they tried stopping you when they allow mothers to walk with their baby all the time.' Also read: Denied parking over Hindi, Google techie says English should be India's mandatory language 'The police officer could have at least moved out the way since you had already made it that far,' another person remarked. 'We hope to see him back on stage in about 20 years so he can follow in his dad's footsteps,' the university added.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- The Independent
Watch moment dad evades security trying to stop him taking infant son on stage to receive diploma
A dad has gone viral after rushing past security in order to receive his diploma alongside his infant son. The livestream of the commencement ceremony captures Jean Paul Al Arab running onto the stage with his baby while security guards chase them. However, the guards allow him to receive his diploma to cheers in the crowd before he walks off triumphantly. Al Arab, originally from Lebanon, was reportedly told he could bring his baby with him on stage after graduating from the University of Buffalo with a bachelor's degree in criminology. But on the day of the ceremony (18 May), security stopped him, citing safety concerns. However, the father told reporters that he had made a promise to his son.
CTV News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
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.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Daily Mail
University at Buffalo graduate is chased off stage by police... but school has the last laugh
A graduating student at the University at Buffalo was chased by police during the commencement ceremony for carrying his infant son on stage - but the school had the last laugh in the now-viral incident. Jean Paul Al Arab's celebratory walk across stage during his graduation last week descended into chaos when police began trailing and chasing him - all because he was proudly holding his son while accepting his diploma. The university first claimed the graduate broke protocol and repeatedly ignored instructions not to bring his son on stage. Then they questioned the child's academic credentials in a scathing follow-up. 'The infant, despite crossing the stage in a cap and gown, has not yet earned enough credits to receive a diploma,' university officials wrote in a statement obtained by People. 'We hope to see him back on stage in about 20 years so he can follow in his dad's footsteps.' Al Arab was set to receive his bachelor's degree in criminology and ring in the end of his college journey on May 18 during the spring graduation ceremony, WGRZ News reported. For the young father, however, the moment was less about being handed the diploma and more about keeping a heartfelt promise to his son. During a commencement prep session last semester, Al Arab asked if he could walk across stage with his son at the ceremony. The school's response: 'No one's gonna tell you no'. Nevertheless, when the day arrived, his plans were abruptly derailed when event staff stopped him, citing a university policy listed on its website that stated only graduates were allowed on stage. 'They said it was a safety hazard. They don't want the baby onstage,' Al Arab told WGRZ, speaking about the moment in particular. It was at this moment that he was faced with a choice: comply with the rule or honor his promise - and he chose the latter. 'I won't walk then. I won't be walking,' he said. 'And I ran, that's what I did. I had to. I promised him I was gonna walk with him on stage. I had to walk with him on the stage, or run with him on the stage.' In the video that has been viewed more than six million times on TikTok, Al Arab is seen rushing across the stage with his infant in hand, desperately trying to evade officers and event staff attempting to stop him from walking. Clearly a bit disheveled by the time he reached the stage, the father picked up his dropped cap and made his way to shake hands with officials - his son still in his arms, fittingly dressed in a matching blue cap and gown. Fortunately, he managed to reach center stage, narrowly slipping past the grasps of those trying to stop him - a moment that has been widely celebrated after he shared the footage online. 'I'm a full-time student, working two jobs - one of them overnight - and taking care of my son during the day until his mom gets home from work,' Al Arab wrote in the caption of the clip he shared to TikTok on Monday. 'And here I am, graduating, with my boy by my side,' he added. 'WE DID IT! #ub #commencement #baby #graduation.' Despite the chaotic scene, the crowd erupted in applause as Al Arab joyfully fist-bumped the air after receiving his diploma. In a second caption over the video he shared, Al Arab wrote: 'Hey, I just want to explain what happened since a lot of people have been asking. During a prep class for commencement, I asked if I could walk with my baby and they told me it was fine'. 'But when the time came, they tried to stop me and even called the police,' he added. 'They tried to escort me out, but honestly, the only reason they let me go was because of all of you who cheered and supported me - so thank you.' University at Buffalo denied Al Arab's account, instead claiming that police were never 'called' to the commencement, as reported by People. According to the university, the police were already present at the commencement as part of standard procedure, to enforce university rules if needed. While Al Arab's touching walk sparked cheers from hundreds in the auditorium, it left a negative impression on the university, which claimed he had violated the school's policies. In a statement obtained by People, the school reiterated that the graduate 'had ignored multiple directives from university event staff and UB Police and broke commencement rules by bringing an infant onto the commencement stage at Alumni Arena'. 'While the situation created a light-hearted moment for the thousands in attendance who cheered on as the graduate took the stage with the infant in his arms, the graduate's actions were a violation of commencement rules,' it added. The rules in question, according to the university, 'clearly state that only gradating students may participate in the graduation ceremony, including walking in the processional and crossing the stage'. The following afternoon, Al Arab sent an apology email to commencement officials, who assured him that he would not be 'penalized' for the incident and would 'still receive his degree from the university', People reported. Despite the memorable - and now viral - graduation moment, the story between Al Arab and the University at Buffalo is far from over. Any tensions appeared to have cooled, as he plans to return to campus to pursue his master's degree. 'I have nothing against UB,' Al Arab told WGRZ. 'I love UB. I graduated from UB, I'm getting my master's at UB. It's a great college. I love my professors - everyone'.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
University at Buffalo Graduation Turns Chaotic as Police Chase Student Holding Baby Son Onstage
On Monday, May 19, Jean Paul Al Arab shared a video on TikTok of the chaotic moment he accepted his diploma while being chased by police and holding his baby son during his graduation ceremony at the University at Buffalo.
