Yale, Harvard contest halted as protesters storm field
NEW HAVEN — The second half of Yale’s dramatic, comefrombehind 5043 overtime victory against Harvard at Yale Bowl Saturday was delayed for more than 40 minutes as several hundred spectators came onto the field at halftime to stage a climate change protest.
The Game, one of the most prestigious in all of college football, is no stranger to drawing national attention.
The 136th edition drew reaction from not only the sports world, but from politicians and activists as well.
The groups Yale Endowment Justice Coalition and Divest Harvard were listed on a pamphlet obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media during the protest. The Yale Endowment Justice Coalition has held other protests in New Haven, including as recent as September.
The protest started out toward the end of half time with
Harvard leading Yale 153. After both bands completed their acts. about 50 people came onto the field. The gathering grew to about 1,000. Officials did not immediately call for protesters to leave the field, but followed with several announcements of the PA systatem at the Bowl. At 2:38 p.m. the final protesters were being walked off. An attempt by Yale officials to have the protesters leave the field took place for about 40 minutes.
Law enforcement officials surrounded the group, confiscated the signs but no attempt was made to remove the protesters from the field immediately. Both teams headed back to their respective locker rooms while the protest took place and returned to the field around 2:40 p.m.
“Yale stands firmly for the right to free expression. Today, students from Harvard and Yale expressed their views and delayed the start of the second half of the football game,” Yale said in a statement.
The released also stated Yale stood with the Ivy League, which said in its statement “It is regrettable that the orchestrated protest came during a time when fellow students were participating in a collegiate careerdefining contest and an annual tradition when thousands gather from around the world to enjoy and celebrate the storied traditions of both football programs and universities.”
Yale (91, 61 Ivy League) rallied from down 3619 with 13 minutes left to clinch a share of the Ivy League title with Dartmouth. Yale players celebrated in near darkness in the 105year old Yale Bowl.
The win came 51 years after the infamous 2929 tie between the two teams, in which Harvard rallied in the final seconds. That result led to The Crimson student newspaper headline ‘Harvard Beats Yale 2929.’
The pamphlet provided by one of the protesters to Hearst Connecticut Media read: “When Harvard and Yale invest in companies that destroy our planet, and its people, they are complicit in the climate crisis nobody wins. Inaction is no longer an option.”
“Our universities profit from climate injustice and ignore student voices. Today, we take action,” the pamphlet read.
“Harvard and Yale students stand united in demanding that our universities:
“Disclose how much of their $71 billion in endowments is invested in the fossil fuel industry and Puerto Rican debt.
“Divest from fossil fuel companies and cancel holdings in Puerto Rican Debt.
“Reinvest in environmentally sustainable and socially responsible initiatives.”
The pamphlet went on to read: “We support and are not targeting the YaleHarvard football game but business cannot go on as usual during the climate emergency.”