During Tuesday afternoon’s National Coming Out Week celebration in the EMU amphitheater, the LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Alliance) and the LGBT education support services program (ESSP) watched in horror as the colorful arch of more than 300 balloons suddenly came loose and floated up into the sky.
After three hours of preparation for the open forum, which was scheduled to raise awareness about tolerance on campus, students and LGBT staff sat in the amphitheater answering questions and informing the University community about the organization.
In an effort to welcome students to the celebration, University student Andi Linden stepped up to the microphone to say a few words, encouraging those who identify as LGBTQ to share their coming out stories.
Minutes later, between 1:45 and 2 p.m., former University Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team member Emily Armstrong-Buck walked down E. 13th Avenue from the evolutionary biology lab on campus where she works. When she reached the flower pots near the heart of campus, she noticed the string of balloons flying away and a young man jumping down from the pole he had climbed in order to release the balloons, fleeing from the scene.
Armstrong-Buck described the young man as 5 feet 11 inches tall with brown hair, wearing a blue and grey hoodie. She suspects he may have had an accomplice because of how quickly the second side of the arch came down.
Immediately following the incident, Buck ran to the LGBT tables in the amphitheater and asked if one of the students or staff members had cut down the arch intentionally. When she realized what had happened, she quickly grew angry.
“I wish I had known what was going on at the time because I would have chased the motherfucker down,” Armstrong-Buck said. “All day I’ve been angry about this. They’re balloons; why can’t we all just be happy?”
LGBTESSP Program Assistant Cat McGraw, who stayed in the amphitheater for most of the morning and early-afternoon, said because of the nature of the climate on campus, she would consider the incident an act of bias.
Buck described the incident as “a disgusting and cowardly act.”
McGraw said she believes the timing of the act was deliberate because other University organizations have had balloon arches in the same place. She said the person clearly ruined the arch to make a statement.
Amber Garrison, who serves on the Homecoming Weekend Committee, emphasized her support for LGBTQA and LBGTESSP because the two organizations have built on each other. She said the Homecoming Committee stands behind LGBTQ and will continue to be an ally.
Garrison is also the director of family programs and commencement in the Office of Student Life.
McGraw and Garrison said during the incident, they sent the Homecoming Weekend photographer they hired to take pictures of the balloons floating away.
“I think the thing that stuck out most for me was that someone had to climb up a pole to do it,” Garrison said. “It’s not like it was just an easy thing to do.”
Along with McGraw, Garrison said that given the nature of the campus’ history, she believes this was an act of intolerance.
“It was hard for me not to believe it was a hate crime or an act of bias,” Garrison said.
Armstrong-Buck said she happened to be in the right place at the right time while the sequence of events unraveled before her eyes.
“It was serendipitous, really,” Armstrong-Buck said. “So I go out there and I see this really agile guy jump up there with a pocket knife and slash the strings. Then he ran up past Collier on University (Street).”
To raise awareness and support for the LGBT programs, McGraw said students and staff will be selling balloon-grams for $1 or $2 to show support for those who identify as LGBTQ. Proceeds from the balloon-grams will go toward building a new arch for next week before Thursday’s Speak Out rally.
“We were flabbergasted and taken aback by this action,” Garrison said.
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