Pro-Palestine protestors interrupted UO President John Karl Scholz’ investiture ceremony, held inside Matthew Knight Arena and later vandalized the Duck statue outside of the arena, as well as windows, with red paint. (Norgren/Emerald)
Pro-Palestine protestors interrupted UO President John Karl Scholz’ investiture ceremony, held inside Matthew Knight Arena, demanding that the university divest and disclose investments from companies “profiting off of genocide.”
The protestors, who left after UO police arrived, then smeared red paint on windows and on the Duck statue outside of the arena.
The UO investiture ceremony is a celebration of the “formal installation” of Scholz as president of the university.
In an email statement to the Daily Emerald following the event, UO spokesperson Eric Howald said the university was “disappointed” the event could not continue with the entire audience in attendance.
“The university supports students’ right to free speech. However, this was a scheduled, celebratory event of new beginnings, and not the right venue for this small group of students to share their message,” Howald wrote.
Howald further said that the university had planned for the alternate, virtual layout in anticipation of disruptions.
Student protesters first rallied outside of the arena before the start of the investiture ceremony. Once the event started at around 3:30 p.m., protestors entered the building.
University of Oregon Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine co-founder Kaleigh Bronson said it was important the rally “send a message” that faculty, students and staff are still concerned that the university has not committed to divestment or acknowledged events in Gaza as a genocide.
Protestors were initially quiet while UO Interim Provost and Senior Vice President Karen Ford and Board Chair of the UO Board of Trustees Steve Holwerda spoke. Light commentary could be heard coming from protestors, but the event initially continued uninterrupted.
When Holwerda began to introduce President Scholz, multiple students stood up with red dyed hands and began yelling “Karl Scholz you can’t hide, you send bombs to genocide,” “shame on you,” and “disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.”
After a few minutes of chanting, President-elect of the University Senate Gerard Sandoval asked protestors to quiet down because the investiture was a “celebratory” event.
A graphic then appeared on the screen of the arena with a statement.
“Investiture is a valued special event for the University of Oregon. Please show respect for everyone who has to share in their experience,” the statement said. “Individuals who engage in inappropriate or disruptive behavior will be removed from the event.”
Sandoval repeatedly asked protestors to cease their chants, but they did not stop. At least five UOPD officers were present in the arena to ensure protestors did not move towards the stage.
Participants of the investiture ceremony and President Scholz were moved off stage. They told crowd members that if they wished to continue watching the ceremony, they would have to do so on Zoom following a 15 minute delay.
After the delay, protestors were still chanting inside when Scholz appeared on the arena screen appearing to be smiling while he made a remark towards protesters regarding the timing of their protest.
Around 4:10 p.m. UOPD Chief Jason Wade was seen inside the arena speaking with members of UO administration. Soon after, protestors began to exit the arena.
After leaving the building, protestors marched around the arena, in front of the Ford Alumni center before stopping at the west entrance of Matthew Knight.
After displaying signs and chanting to the glass doors and windows, protestors wrote “your hands are red Scholz” and left handprints with red paint.
Many UO administrators including Dean of Student Marcus Langford and Senior Director of Operations, Safety and Risk Services, Krista Dillion were seen documenting the vandalism to the duck mascot on the north side of the arena.
At approximately 5 p.m. the ceremony ended and protesters left the scene. Several UOPD vehicles, one Eugene Police Department vehicle, one UO Campus Safety vehicle were seen outside the housing office near the arena.
Roughly an hour and a half later, 12 protestors arrived at UO’s Knight Campus to chant outside a terrace where President Scholz and other individuals from the investiture were having a private dinner after the event. The protestors left the event after around one hour. Two UOPD officers present near the building.
The agreement made last week between the university and the UO Coalition for Palestine to end the encampment said that individual students would not be “referred to Student Conduct and Community Standards” for participating in encampment activities, being present at the encampment or expressing support for it.
According to the agreement, “future related protests and advocacy-related activities will adhere to all relevant university policies, including appropriate demonstration guidelines and prohibition on encampments.”
The agreement made clear that students were only exempt from charges relating to the encampment and not any future action after the conclusion of the encampment, which includes actions at the investiture ceremony.
Howald’s statement confirmed that the university could subject students to disciplinary action for their “behavior in the venue or the vandalism that followed.”
Howald did not respond for clarification on what specific disciplinary action could be taken against students found in violation of student conduct at today’s events.
