Notre Dame bumps up security ahead of Mike Pence's visit, planned protests

 

Thousands of students prepared for the 172nd commencement ceremony at the University of Notre Dame Sunday morning. That ceremony began at 10 a.m. But Notre Dame bumped up security ahead of several planned protests.

Some student protesters and faculty members weren’t happy about Vice President Mike Pence delivering the commencement address at the ceremony.

Back in March, Mike Pence was chosen to deliver the commencement address at Notre Dame and receive an honorary degree, but it didn’t sit too well with some students and faculty members there who were noting things like Pence’s history of anti-LGBT legislation and public health policies. They planned a peaceful protest against the V.P. on the edge of campus.

Commencement organizers say they’ve seen this kind of thing before, though. The university says in 2009, they put similar plan in place for president Barack Obama, but say, still today, they expect protesters to be respectful of others and the V.P. while near the campus.

Meanwhile, inside the ceremony, some students also planned a walk-out as soon as vice president mike pence began his speech.