This week, students and outsiders at Northwestern University in Chicago staged an anti-police protest that left the campus covered in graffiti.
The rhetoric included messages like “more dead pigs” and worse. To his credit, Northwestern President Morton Schapiro strongly denounced the protests, and called out the left for thinking they’re more important than others on campus.
Guy Benson writes at Townhall:
Bravo: In Blistering Statement, University President Rips Anti-Police Agitators Over Menacing ‘Protests’From time to time, I write about the wild excesses of the woke Left at my alma mater, Northwestern University. Recent examples include this embarrassing episode, which was infuriating to many fellow alumni of the journalism program (the school somewhat redeemed itself), and this crazy manifesto from NU’s Panhellenic Association calling for the abolishment of Greek life on campus. The latest episode involves a group of left-wing students and outside agitators engaging in destructive and appalling “protests” across campus and the wider community last weekend, which included intimidation, threats, and criminal acts:
Take a look at the scene the protesters left behind:
One of the groups responsible even bragged with photos on Twitter:
All too often, we see college and university administrations excuse bad behavior like this. At Northwestern, Morton Schapiro deserves credit for his response. Via the Northwestern website:
Weekend Protests in EvanstonDear members of the Northwestern community,Over the weekend I received many messages of concern about protests organized by some of our students, among others, who are demanding the abolition of the Northwestern University Police Department.We, as a University, recognize the many injustices faced by Black and other marginalized groups. We also acknowledge that the policing and criminal justice system in our country is too often stacked against those same communities. Your concerns are valid and necessary, and we encourage and, in fact, rely on your active engagement with us to make your school and our society equitable and safe for everyone. That said, while the University has every intention to continue improving NUPD, we have absolutely no intention to abolish it.Northwestern firmly supports vigorous debate and the free expression of ideas — abiding principles that are fundamental for our University. We encourage members of our community to find meaningful ways to get involved and advocate for causes they believe in — and to do so safely and peacefully. The University protects the right to protest, but we do not condone breaking the law…I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the overstepping of the protesters. They have no right to menace members of our academic and surrounding communities. When students and other participants are vandalizing property, lighting fires and spray-painting phrases such as “kill the pigs,” we have moved well past legitimate forms of free speech.I want to offer a personal illustration of the pain these protesters have caused. Many gathered outside my home this weekend into the early hours of the morning, chanting “f— you Morty” and “piggy Morty.” The latter comes dangerously close to a longstanding trope against observant Jews like myself. Whether it was done out of ignorance or out of anti-Semitism, it is completely unacceptable, and I ask them to consider how their parents and siblings would feel if a group came to their homes in the middle of the night to wake up their families with such vile and personal attacks. To those protesters and their supporters who justify such actions, I ask you to take a long hard look in the mirror and realize that this isn’t actually “speaking truth to power” or furthering your cause. It is an abomination and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Schapiro should take this a step further and expel anyone found guilty in this case.
Featured image via YouTube.
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