Notre Dame Commencement: Students Walk Out As VP Mike Pence Speaks (WATCH)

SOUTH BEND, IN — Several students walked out of their own graduation ceremony at the University of Notre Dame to protest the commencement speaker, Vice President Mike Pence. The walkout had been planned in advance of Pence's speech at the university in his home state of Indiana.

The group that organized the walk out, WeStaND For, wrote on Twitter that more than 100 students participated in the protest. The South Bend Tribune reports that about 150 attendees, a mix of students and family members, participated in the walkout. Video of the walkout showed dozens of students leave their seats as Pence began to speak, however the majority of graduates remained seated.

Speeches at the commencement were rife with references to today's political climate.

Speaking before Pence, Caleb "C.J." Pine, the class valedictorian, said that his generation must stand up for the scapegoating of Muslims.

As a candidate, President Trump called for a complete and total shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, and as president he signed an executive order temporarily stopping nationals of six majority-Muslim countries from obtaining new visas, citing concerns of national security. The order was blocked in two courts, and advocates and Muslim rights leaders in the United States have said the order discriminates against Muslims.

Pence also referenced the issue of free speech on college campuses, saying it was under attack. Students at colleges across the country have increasingly been pushing back against conservative speakers being allowed a stage at their universities, with protests sometimes turning violent.

The group that organized the walkout did not just take issue with Pence's role in the administration but also against the policies he advocated as governor of Indiana.

"During his time as governor of the state of Indiana and now as Vice-President, Pence has targeted the civil rights protections of members of LBGT+community, rejected the Syrian refugee resettlement program, supported an unconstitutional ban of religious minorities, and fought against sanctuary cities," the group said in a news release. "All of these policies have marginalized our vulnerable sisters and brothers for their religion, skin color, or sexual orientation."

As governor, Pence signed a controversial religious freedom law that was heavily criticized, as some noted that it would allow businesses to discriminate against gay and lesbian patrons. He later signed a revised version of the bill that specifically stated businesses could not use the bill to discriminate against patrons based on their sexual orientation.

Notre Dame traditionally invites newly inaugurated presidents to speak at its commencement ceremony. Fearing the response the university might receive for inviting Trump, officials invited the vice president instead. In 2009, when President Obama spoke at the university, he was met by anti-abortion protesters.