Provost C. Cybele Raver emailed the Vanderbilt community at approximately 10:45 p.m. CDT about the ongoing sit-in at Kirkland Hall. Protestors have been inside Kirkland Hall since 9 a.m. CDT demanding that the Vanderbilt administration allow the student body to vote on a VSG constitutional amendment to prevent VSG funds from being used on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement’s targets.
The email largely mirrored a statement sent to The Hustler from the university earlier today. In addition to outlining the timeline of the protests, the arrest of Nashville Scene reporter Eli Motycka and the university’s on-the-ground response, the email reinforced the university’s stated commitment to freedom of expression and civil discourse.
“The war in Gaza and the passionate opinions on all sides of the issue pose a test of our commitment to free expression and respectful dialogue,” the email reads. “Tonight, I urge each of us to reflect on how we can continue to do the hard work of voicing our opinions and advocating for what we care about while at the same time respecting and preserving this vital community that enables us to do so much more together than we could do alone.”
The email included a link to a video showing security footage from this morning when protestors initially entered the building. In the video, an officer unlocks and slightly opens a door to speak to protesters. After a moment, one protester pulls the door open widely. A Community Service Officer attempts to block the entrance by spreading his arms across the doorway. Students push against the officer to enter the building. The CSO wraps his arms around multiple students’ chests and shoulders to attempt to prevent them from entering. A few students push the officer into the building, permitting other students to enter. The officer continues to grab onto students even after they enter the building.
A group-written statement to The Hustler from the protestors inside Kirkland Hall previously asserted that Vanderbilt’s claim of students using physical force to enter the building was not telling the full story.
“Students were grabbed and assaulted, and defended themselves from CSOs on their way to protest at the Chancellor’s office in an attempt to exercise their fundamental rights to free speech and free expression,” the protestors’ statement reads.
