There’s lots going on at the University of Missouri today. For starters, university President Tim Wolfe has resigned:
Missouri President Tim Wolfe resigns amid football players' boycott and criticism of racial issues on campus
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 9, 2015
Wolfe’s resignation comes amid campus protest:
Wolfe had been at the center of protests on the Missouri campus as students, faculty and student-athletes called for his resignation following several racist events on campus and what some perceived as Wolfe’s inaction.
The movement, which was called Concerned Students 1950, was spearheaded by graduate student Jonathan Butler, who decided on Nov. 2 to fast until Wolfe resigned and changes in the way the university handled racial issues went into effect. The Missouri football program officially joined the movement Sunday after the program announced that it was standing with its African-American student-athletes who, a day before, said they would not participate in football activities until Wolfe resigned. Sunday evening, faculty walked out in protest and Missouri lawmakers called for Wolfe to step down.
The protest continues on campus today, and demonstrators don’t appear to want reporters near them because the media are being kept away … sort of:
The students at Mizzou have built a human shield to block reporters from interviewing peaceful protesters pic.twitter.com/YCZjuvIZDL
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) November 9, 2015
Just took this video of a confrontation involving a reporter and those blocking the protest area on Mizzou's campus pic.twitter.com/cFhQmrRE0u
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) November 9, 2015
"If you're here to support the students then help keep the press out," a woman just chanted pic.twitter.com/ogA2l5G2xc
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) November 9, 2015
Current pic from Mizzou's campus pic.twitter.com/juOf0AUYyr
— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) November 9, 2015
Will media-free “safe spaces” for protest catch on? Probably not:
@hochman That's hilarious. This woman know, without the media, Wolfe isn't forced to resign?
— John Marecek (@JohnMarecek) November 9, 2015
You can't stand in public and expect "privacy." And how else do they expect people to know why they're doing this? https://t.co/letJPuozHl
— Jason Morton (@JB_Morton) November 9, 2015
Careful, because informing protesters of that might be considered a microaggression!
https://twitter.com/NoahCRothman/status/663762604532330496
@hochman So she makes a creative sign to get on TV and social media outlets yet doesn't want the media there? Call me confused
— Darin Atkins (@PeoriaPlowBoy) November 9, 2015
@hochman Considering that media attention is about all they're going to get from this, I find this an odd position to take.
— Terri (@Terri_Belle) November 9, 2015
If you have a grievance, maybe speak to the media about it, and more people will hear your message. Right? https://t.co/YozH0CDwCC
— Zach Mortice (@zachmortice) November 9, 2015
Might be time to abolish college. https://t.co/O6q7hh9kTp
— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) November 9, 2015
https://twitter.com/Cameron_Gray/status/663767116034781184
If they truly want to keep the media away, perhaps these protesters should consult with the Hillary campaign.
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