Climate change protesters disrupt Yale vs. Harvard football game
Source: Associated Press. https://apnews.com/c98f82138d334d408b54847cec78461e
Demonstrators took to the field in New Haven, Conn. yesterday afternoon during the annual Yale-Harvard football game. The protesters, made up of students from both universities, disrupted the game at halftime and delayed the game by about 20 minutes. The cause of the protest was to call on both institutions to divest from fossil fuels.
Protesters held up signs saying “Yale and Harvard United for Climate Justice.” The demonstration started just before 2 p.m. with only a small number of protesters, but grew to hundreds as people from the stands joined in. The Harvard Crimson reported that police surrounded the demonstrators and officials took to the PA system to request the activists leave the field.
Harvard, Yale and other elite private universities have faced increased pressure from students, faculty and alumni to divest from their investment in the fossil fuel industry. The administrators of Harvard have refused to divest, stating that they do not use their endowment for political purposes. Both schools have large endowments across the economy, including in the fossil fuel industry. Activists believe that if Harvard or Yale were to divest, then other large institutions would follow.
Featured image: Demonstrators stage a climate change protest at the Yale Bowl delaying the start of the second half of an NCAA college football game between Harvard and Yale Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in New Haven, Conn. (Arnold Gold/New Haven Register via AP)
