Left-wing protesters stormed the field brandishing signs during Northwestern University’s football game versus the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday.
A total of nine activists holding signs with different left-wing messages ran onto the field after the end of the game’s first half, Sports Illustrated reports.
Signs bore slogans including, “ABOLISH NUPD INVEST IN BLACK LIVES,” “STOP FUNDING THE WAR ON PALESTINE,” and “DIVEST FROM DEATH.” The demonstration delayed the game for several minutes before a fan wearing Iowa gear ran onto the field, knocking down some of the protesters‘ signs as the crowd cheered.
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An #Iowa fan freely stormed the field at the end of the first half in response to a protest. #NorthwesternFootball pic.twitter.com/qcAQz8sNrI
— Lauren Withrow (@lolowithrow) November 7, 2021
peak northwestern with this stoppage pic.twitter.com/QdhfkWZht1
— RossWB (@RossWB) November 7, 2021
Security personnel intervened, and the protesters reportedly dropped their signs and exited the field, according to Sports Illustrated.
Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald told reporters after the game that the priority is “the health, safety, and well-being of our student athletes.”
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“There’s an arena for the athletes, the officials, the coaches and those that are supposed to be in it,” Fitzgerald said. “Any time that that gets compromised, it gives you pause, and you have great care and concern. I don’t know if anybody saw, but that’s all I was focused on was trying to keep our guys away.”
Several student organizations reportedly claimed responsibility for the protest on Twitter, including NU Community Not Cops, Students for Social Justice in Palestine, Fossil Free Northwestern, Students Organizing for Labor Rights, Northwestern Graduate Workers, and NU Dissenters.
Our demands? Open meetings between students & the board of trustees at least 2x/yr. Concrete deadlines for our demands as well as @fossilfreenu, nu dissenters, & other campus org demands. systems that center and protect survivors of sexual violence. https://t.co/30qAtI4fAp
— #nucommunitynotcops (@copsoutofNU) November 7, 2021
