Franklin Graham has opened up about his anger at the students who staged a walked-out during an address by Vice President Mike Pence.

Pence, a committed Christian, was delivering the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

The students staged a public walk out and went on to hold their own 'alternative' graduation outside.

Graham wrote on Facebook that the graduates should have their diplomas ripped up.

He said: 'Just rip them up! Maybe that's what the president of University of Notre Dame should have done to the diplomas of the students who so rudely got up and walked out of commencement as the Vice President was speaking this weekend.

'These young people must not have been taught the meaning of respect. They knew well in advance who was going to be speaking at their commencement; and if they didn't like it, they shouldn't have come. The New York Times says many of those who walked out were wearing their LGBT rainbow or flag pins in protest. To get up and walk out on the Vice President of the United States of America, who was gracious enough to come speak at their graduation, that's just insolent! Maybe they need to take another class before they graduate – one on civility and respect. What do you think?'

He added: 'This country is so fortunate to have a Vice President like Mike Pence. He's a great man and a strong leader who isn't afraid to speak the truth. I thank God for him.'

In his address, Pence, formerly the Governor of Indiana, praised the administration of President Donald Trump: 'Just as Notre Dame has stood strong to protect its religious liberty, I'm proud that this president just took steps to ensure that this university and the Little Sisters of the Poor could not be forced to violate their consciences to fully participate in American civic life. And just as Notre Dame has stood for those who are persecuted for their faith around the world, just a short while ago, in Saudi Arabia, this president spoke out against religious persecution of all people of all faiths.'

He said the university is a vanguard of freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas. He took aim at the growing culture of political correctness in US universities, saying: 'Notre Dame is a campus where deliberation is welcomed, where opposing views are debated, and where every speaker, no matter how unpopular or unfashionable, is afforded the right to air their views in the open for all to hear.

'Far too many campuses across America have become characterised by speech codes, safe zones, tone-policing, administration-sanctioned political correctness, all of which amounts to nothing less than suppression of the freedom of speech.'

He told the students: 'As you, our youth, are the future, and universities the bellwether of thought and culture, I would submit that the increasing intolerance and suppression of the time-honuored tradition of free expression on our campuses jeopardizes the liberties of every American. This should not, and must not be met with silence.'

The walk out was staged by a student activist group, WeStaNDFor.

WATCH: The walkout here