On Penn Hall steps the scene is filled with chants as students continue their sit in protest as it enters its sixth hour. The ground in front of Penn Hall holds a quote inspired by Hillary Clinton’s concession speech.
“To all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.” –Hillary Clinton
Chants include statements such as “If you are marginalized and you know it clap your hands”, “If all you want is peace stomp your feet”, and “If Black Lives Matter clap your hands”. The protest began at 3:00pm on November 17, and is going to continue into the night and into the next day. So far, there is no planned end time for the protest.
The sit in began when Joey Recupero ‘17, decided that enough was enough.
Throughout the week, there have been several incidents of hate speech, including international students being told to pack their bags and go home and other students chanting “build the wall.” Recupero sent out emails and texts to anyone he could think of to join him at Penn Hall to protest these words. People arrived, and they soon moved from Penn Hall to the Faculty meeting that was going on to explain what they were doing. After the meeting, they moved back to Penn Hall where they have been ever since. Joey started this protest because he wanted to show that if people mess with one person, they mess with all of them. The students also want to get actual policy implementation.
Another student, Marion McKenize ‘19, has been with the sit in since it started at 3:00pm. She is here because she wants to show support for members of this community and across the country, that she supports them and that, under no condition is it okay for anyone to make them feel less.
Annika Jensen ‘18, arrived at 5:00pm and will be spending the night outside with the other protesters. She is here to promote tolerance and convey the idea that it is not okay to send fear and intimidation and hate to people that are marginalized. She wanted to show solidarity to people who do not feel safe right now.
A third student, Madison Caldwell ‘18, arrived at 7:00pm. She is here to support acts of peace and love right now because that is what we need.
The library sent out a cart of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate around 7:45pm to help students keep warm. The cart held a sign that stated, “We are with you”.
Our president, Janet Morgan Riggs (JMR), arrived around 8:00pm, and read a statement that she and many other college presidents signed calling for Trump to stop hate speech.
At 8:13pm, Joey interupted the chants to read a letter he had written throughout the protest. The letter explained what it is that the protest stands for, for peace and an end of hate. To make all students feel safe on campus and everyone to feel safe across the country. “Tonight we will sit, because we cannot stand for hate”
This story is still continuing, and there will be updates as the protest continues.