Protest cancelled amid confusion, disorganization
A scheduled protest that was meant to end with a gathering in the quad did not happen. Photo by: Lauren Royce
A protest that was scheduled to happen on April 14 did not come to fruition. The event was meant to occur at 2 p.m. beginning in front of Marano Campus Center. No students were gathered in or around the building and none were gathered at the quad. The protest was originally planned to highlight concerns by the LGBTQ+ community on campus.
Caylee Decker and Jocelyn Fesinstine were students assisting with Admitted Students Days as guides, and said that they had been prepared for the protest to take place.
“We were instructed to tell them that this campus is a really open and free speech campus,” Decker said. “Admissions was preparing us for it, because with all the incoming families coming they wanted us to know what to say… but then we got notified that it wasn’t happening, so we were very confused by that.”
“It’s annoying [the cancellation] happened, but it happened, and maybe we’ll replan it,” Fesinstine said.
On April 9, SUNY Oswego student Tyler Johnson sent an email to many students and different organizations detailing the plans of how the event would take place. According to the email, the protest would have moved through the building out to the Poucher entrance, passing the bus loop and then reaching the quad.
“Once we get to the quad, students will gather around and listen to the voices of student leaders who will speak about their direct experience with hate on our campus,” read the email, “the importance of campus administrations taking us seriously, action steps we can take as students, and more.”
Johnson suddenly canceled the event, causing confusion for prospective attendees. Johnson had organized the event in response to what he said was a homophobic slur directed against him.
With reporting contributed by Clarissa Karki