Graduation day at Yale University included the awarding of degrees, a union demonstration and a man who unexpectedly took the podium and had to be tackled.
Yale on Monday conferred more than 3,600 degrees, including eight honorary doctorates. The recipients included civil rights leader John Lewis, former Secretary of State John Kerry and musician Stevie Wonder.
The commencement was interrupted briefly when a man ran onto the podium and grabbed the microphone. He was able to get out a few words about loving Yale before being tackled by security.
"I love Yale about as much as anyone who hasn't actually gone here possibly could," he said before being removed.
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Union officials said that man wasn't connected with a protest outside the ceremony by graduate teachers.
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More than 1,000 people marched to demand the Ivy League school begin negotiations with a union formed by graduate students in eight departments.
The man was identified as 35-year-old Mathew Cherackal, of Portland, according to Yale police. He was charged with second-degree breach of peace, first-degree trespassing and interfering with a police officer.
Cherackal was released on a promise to appear, police said.
