Stanford students are protesting the university’s ties to Palantir: Here’s why
On Wednesday afternoon, more than 100 students, faculty and staff gathered in White Plaza for a walkout protesting what they describe as Stanford University’s financial and academic ties to defense technology company Palantir. The protest was organised by multiple campus groups and followed months of student activism around the issue. Demonstrators held signs reading “PURGE PALANTIR” and called for the university to divest from the company. According to reporting by The Stanford Daily, the protest was coordinated by student groups including Students for Justice in Palestine, Tech for Liberation and the American Civil Liberties Union’s campus chapter. Palantir, a data analytics firm co-founded by Stanford alumnus Peter Thiel, has faced criticism from civil liberties organisations for its work with U.S. immigration authorities and foreign militaries. Protesters said these activities conflict with the values Stanford claims to uphold. Several administrators were present during the walkout, accompanied by campus police. The university did not respond to a request for comment from The Stanford Daily.
Allegations of financial and institutional links
Organisers said the protest was driven by concerns about Stanford’s investment practices and its relationship with Palantir beyond finances. Amanda Campos, a member of Students for Justice in Palestine and one of the organisers, told The Stanford Daily that the university and Palantir have “long-known ties that must be brought into the light.” Campos pointed to Stanford-affiliated venture capital funds, including Founders Fund, which was co-founded by Thiel and was an early investor in Palantir. While Stanford does not publicly disclose individual endowment holdings, its endowment is known to invest heavily in private equity and venture capital funds, according to The Stanford Daily’s earlier reporting. Protesters also criticised what they described as institutional endorsement through recruiting pipelines and academic engagement. Palantir executives have taught or lectured at Stanford in recent years. Palantir’s chief technology officer Shyam Sankar taught CS153 in 2025, and Thiel previously taught CS183 on startups in 2012.
Challenging institutional neutrality
Several students said the protest was rooted in a belief that universities should align their financial and academic relationships with the values they teach. In a message shared with The Stanford Daily, rally attendee Samantha Dizon cited a statement from Tech for Liberation that asked what Stanford’s role in funding and developing such technology means for students’ education. Other organisers questioned Stanford’s stated position of institutional neutrality. Juhae Song, another student organiser, told The Stanford Daily that when tuition and university-developed technology are connected to surveillance and military operations, “institutional silence is anything but neutral.”
Policy grounds for divestment
Organisers with Students for Justice in Palestine argued that Palantir’s work with immigration enforcement agencies and foreign militaries violates Stanford’s own Statement on Investment Responsibility. The policy allows for divestment in cases involving apartheid, genocide, human trafficking, slavery and violations of child labour laws. One student, who requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation, told The Stanford Daily that the timing of the walkout was deliberate. The protest followed a vigil held to mourn victims of recent immigration raids. The student said the sequence was intended to connect remembrance with accountability.
A broader campus tension
The protest unfolded alongside strong student interest in defence and national security careers. The Stanford Technology and National Security Conference, hosted by the Gordian Knot Center, is among the largest of its kind in the country, and several student groups on campus focus on national security and defence technology. For protesters, this contrast was part of the concern. They said the walkout was not only about one company, but about how universities navigate partnerships, investments and influence in areas tied to state power and conflict. As of Wednesday evening, Stanford had not publicly addressed the demands raised during the walkout.
