A video of a Palestinian student refusing to shake hands with United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in her convocation is viral on social media.
The viral video sees Nooran Hamdan, holding a Palestinian flag, walking past Blinken without shaking hands while saying something to him in the ceremony at the Centre for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University in Washington in the United States.
@georgetownsfs graduation is back to an in-person ceremony so why not a quick iconic protest moment involving a Palestinian student and @SecBlinken pic.twitter.com/N1Z73LuZbE
— Robert Cox (@RobertCox) May 21, 2022
Nooran Hamdan said she was protesting against the killing of Palestinian people and Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh. She said she was proud of it.
“They have the tanks, we have the clocks.” This motto taught to me by one of my most supportive professors at Georgetown. @SecBlinken justice for Shireen Abu Aqleh and all Palestinians. I am proud to have refused your handshake and to have reminded you of our existence. https://t.co/NbUrbL1KZX
— Nooran A. (@nooranhamdan) May 22, 2022
Nooran Hamdan tweeted, “Our collective silent protest and my own personal decision to not shake Blinken’s hand were both the bare minimum in terms of activism and basic principled morality.
Related – Bella Hadid speaks up against atrocities in Palestine
She said she was overwhelmed by the love and support from across the world but the most meaningful response she got was from her family
