On Saturday, Climate protestors interrupted the Yale-Harvard football game at halftime by taking the field and refusing to leave. The protest was organized by two groups, Divest Harvard and Fossil Free Yale. The crowd of protestors consisted of students, alumni, and, of course, faculty members.
The protestors unfurled banners that read "Nobody Wins Yale and Harvard Are Complicit In Climate Justice," "This Is An Emergency," and another one addressed to the universities' presidents, "Our Future Demands Action Now."
Yale-Harvard is under delay because of a student protest. We’ve hit peak 2019. pic.twitter.com/Am5e12U2el
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 23, 2019
Divest Harvard is calling upon Harvard University "to divest its endowment from fossil fuel companies and reinvest responsibly." Similarly, Fossil Free Yale "demands that Yale cancel its holding in Puerto Rico's debt and divest from fossil fuels."
Divest Harvard posted a video of the captain of the Harvard football team, Wesley Ogsbury, reading a statement in which the football captain expresses solidarity with the protesters. "Today we face off in the game, competing with our great rivals from New Haven, Yale. But at this moment, both our institutions continue to invest in the industries destroying our futures, and when it comes to the climate crisis, nobody wins."
Statement from Wesley Ogsbury, captain of the Harvard Crimson, on today's #NobodyWins disruption by us and @FossilFreeYale: pic.twitter.com/tDjAdR7TTy
— Divest Harvard ?? (@DivestHarvard) November 23, 2019
(Via Fox News)
Chants of “Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Fossil fuels have got to go!” were interrupted by the public address announcer imploring the protesters to leave.
“As a courtesy to both teams, the game must resume,” he said.
After about an hour, police formed a line and moved forward, from the Yale sideline toward the Harvard sideline. An agreement was reached to escort the remaining protesters off the field, with one police officer to accompany every two protesters.
Those who did not leave at that point, about one or two dozen, were informed by Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins that they would be arrested.
Democratic candidates scrambled to announce their solidarity with the protestors.
Thank you, @TomSteyer! https://t.co/xqgmNons27
— Fossil Free Yale (@FossilFreeYale) November 23, 2019
When people come together to stand up for justice, we win. Congratulations to the young people demanding a sustainable future for our planet. We are with you in this fight. https://t.co/l86n85UIcy
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 23, 2019
From the March for Our Lives, to worldwide Climate Strikes, students and young people are leading the charge to protect their futures.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) November 23, 2019
I’m inspired by their efforts to hold their universities to a higher standard. https://t.co/tbskzCRvSa
Liberals are bullies and they ruin everything.