In a conversation with the Daily Emerald, University of Oregon spokesperson Eric Howald confirmed that the university is considering a criminal investigation into pro-Palestine protesters interrupting UO President John Karl Scholz’ investiture ceremony at Matthew Knight Arena on May 30.
Protestors further vandalized campus property, which Howald said that UO is reviewing photo and video footage from this and the protestors’ actions at the ceremony. Howald confirmed that the school is using the documentation to pursue both criminal and academic charges against student protestors.
“There is an investigation, but that only means we are looking into it, that doesn’t mean there is anything formal happening yet [but] there is just people from around the university taking a look into the circumstances of what happened,” Howald said.
Howald also clarified that the protests at the investiture ceremony would be reviewed as an “independent incident” from all actions and negotiations that occurred at the UO pro-Palestine encampment.
“Everything that the student code of conduct provides is possible disciplinary actions as well as up to and including criminal charges if individuals feel that they are warranted,” Howald said.
When President Scholz was initially introduced at the ceremony, multiple students stood up with red dyed hands and began yelling “Karl Scholz you can’t hide, you send bombs to genocide,” among other statements.
“You all are way, way, way too kind, thank you for your flexibility, let’s go ahead and get started again,” Scholz said over Zoom, after a 15-minute delay in which he physically left the ceremony.
Protesters continued to chant as Scholz continued speaking.
“The interruption actually came at a pretty good time because I think Steve Holwerda [Board Chair of the UO Board of Trustees] was about to hand me a mace and the mace is pretty heavy and I can get kind of fired up about things,” Scholz said.
Howald clarified that Scholz was not referring to the aerosol mace spray, but rather a ceremonial mace used in many UO ceremonies.
According to an Instagram post made by Students for Justice in Palestine, many students perceived the remark as a threat of physical violence towards student protesters.
In a follow-up clarification email on Scholz’ statement, Howald said, “it [Scholz’ remark] was an attempt to lighten a tense moment created by protesters disrupting and delaying this milestone event.”
Shortly after Scholz’s remarks, protestors exited the arena and proceeded to stand outside the west entrance of the arena leaving red hand prints and a message reading “your hands are red, Scholz” on the windows.
According to Howald, the university has not yet taken any steps towards enacting punishments for students’ actions.
UO President Karl Scholtz, and President of Associated Students of the University if Oregon, Mariam Hassan, talk before the ceremony begins. Thursday, President of the University of Oregon, Karl Scholtz, attended his investiture at the Matthew Knight Arena, celebrating his formal installment as president of the university. Pro-Palestine protestors interrupted the ceremony as Scholtz accepted the Centennial Medallion with a deluge of chants. After a brief confrontation, protestors moved outside to a separate entrance where they continued their protest. (Miles Cull/Emerald)
