NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Protesters wearing the colors of both Harvard and Yale staged a sit-in at midfield of Yale Bowl during halftime of the 136th edition of the annual football rivalry known as The Game. Most left after about an hour when they were escorted off the field by police; a handful of others were arrested.
A few dozen protesters initially trickled onto the field as the Yale band finished performing its halftime routine. They held up banners asking the schools’ presidents to divest from the fossil fuel industry, while other signs raised issues of Puerto Rican debt and the treatment of the Uighurs.
Police in yellow vests lined up alongside the sit-in but did not intervene. When the 15-minute halftime expired and the protest continued, hundreds more fans streamed onto the field to join in.
Chants of “Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Fossil fuels have got to go!” were interrupted by the public address announcer imploring the protesters to leave.
“As a courtesy to both teams, the game must resume,” he said.
After about an hour, police formed a line and moved forward, from the Yale sideline toward the Harvard sideline. A protest leader encouraged all “internationals” to leave. An agreement was reached to escort the remainders off, with one police officer to every two protesters.
Those who did not leave then — perhaps one or two dozen — were informed by Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins that they would be arrested.
With Yale hoping to clinch an Ivy League title, Harvard led 15-3 at halftime.
