Student Protest Interrupts Northwestern University Football Game

EVANSTON, IL — A group of protesters briefly interrupted the Northwestern University football team's loss to the University of Iowa at Ryan Field Saturday night when they ran onto the field near the end of the first half.

Nine people unfurled banners with the messages, "Abolish [Northwestern University Police Department] Invest In Black Lives," "Board Of Trustees Meet With Us Now," "Divest from Death," "Divest Now" and "Stop Funding the War on Palestine."

With less than a minute to go in the first half, the students took to the field as Outkast's "Hey Ya" played over the stadium's loudspeaker.

As the students stood unmolested by security on the south side of the stadium for several minutes, an apparent Iowa Hawkeyes supporter did confront them, running onto the field and attempting to grab a sign.

Video from the stands appears to show one of the protesters falling and another taking a swing at their fellow pitch invader.

The protesters were members of the student activist groups NU Community No Cops, NU Dissenters, Fossil Free NU, Students for Justice in Palestine and Students Organizing for Labor Rights, the Daily Northwestern reported.

hi cork, let's help you get a better look https://t.co/r9MtBMbr5H pic.twitter.com/VkgeXvaEOl
— #nucommunitynotcops (@copsoutofNU) November 7, 2021

University spokesperson Jon Yates said the demonstrators dispersed peacefully, no arrests were made and the incident is under investigation by NUPD.

Yates did not respond to questions about whether any citations had been issued, whether anyone had been banned or whether it was Northwestern police or another organization who was responsible for securing the field from intruders.

Northwestern's head football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, briefly addressed the demonstration at his news conference following the game, which Northwestern went on to lose 17-12.

"My first focus is the health, safety, and well-being of our student athletes. There's an arena for the athletes, the officials, the coaches and those that are supposed to be in it, and any time that that gets compromised, it gives you pause, and you have great care and concern," Fitzgerald said.

"That's all I was focused on, was trying to keep our guys away," he said. "You never know what may happen and how things may happen, so that's my focus and my priority."