http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2006/10/76890.shtml

Mini-Riot at Columbia as Minutemen Forced Off Stage

10/5 | Audience rushes the stage, racist speakers forced off in fistfight.

By Elliot D. Crooks and Comrade Gumby, breaking news taken from 'The Bwog'

As a large, vocal protest raged outside Roone Arledge Auditorium at Columbia University, Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist was heckled and confronted onstage by students, prompting a fistfight between students and the Minutemen. According to an on-scene report, "there [were] at least two minutes of chaos between students, other students and the Minutemen." It seems Gilchrist was prevented from speaking. [Read Original Post and Comments]

After the confrontation ended, a mosh pit of triumphal students and community members danced and chanted outside the auditorium, "Asian, Black, Brown and White, we smashed the Minutemen tonight!"

Keywords: Analysis, Local, Human Rights, Activism,


struggle on stage

Blow by blow and photos via 'The Bwog.'

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The Scene: After a 45 minute long diatribe by his opener, during which a packed crowd inside Roone Arledge got increasingly irate, main event Jim Gilchrist was rushed by a large group of students, in what descended into a free-for-all on the stage. Scroll below for the blow-by-blow and photos.

In the biggest old-fashioned activist shindig Broadway has seen since Chris Kulawik's last guest arrived in November 2005, hundreds of students and community members yelled and picketed outside Lerner to protest the arrival of Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minutemen. They had catchy slogans.

"Workers of the world unite! Same struggle, same fight!"
"Minutemen, Nazis, KKK! Racists, fascists, go away!"

Bwog is still inside Roone Arledge listening to the opener, who's already 30 minutes into a free-associative rant, which he began by thanking Jesus and Kulawik.

"ARE YOU READY to surrender your liberties?"

"This nation has been blessed with such men as Jim Gilchrist and myself that has given people the freedom to protest."

Protesters shouted:
You don't know shit about god!
Black white supremacist!
Go home!

The Speaker countered: I am home! God bless America!
BOOOOOOOOOOO!

It's getting more surreal by the minute. Stay tuned for updates.

Update 8:41 pm: Someone yelled, "In Spanish, please!" The crowd burst into a thunderous appllause, which spiraled into a full-out protest, complete with Mexican wrestling masks. The students are now one by one standing up, with their backs to the man, who has asked, "Are you standing with your backs to me? Why'd you come, no wonder you don't know anything." Repubs cheered, others sneered.

Update 8:45 pm: Some white-shirted students were just escorted out of the auditorium by security.

Update 8:47 pm: Man at the podium is still ranting, despite the beads of sweat trickling down his forehead and his voice-cracks... "Religion and morality are necessary for government." Students chanting: "Wrap it up! Wrap it up!" Some guy just came out to try to get him to stop, and he said, "Let me finish..." he's sweating, and looks angry. "All of you who are doing your chanting in here are the very ones that need this the most. But guess what, I'm not deterred."

Update 8:51 pm: "I'm going to wrap this up because time is an issue," the man has stopped talking with a boisterous "God Bless America, and America Bless God!" Kulawik came out, "I was under the false assumption that this was an Ivy League School." Minuteman has finally entered and shouted, "Now who're you calling racist?" putting his arm around the black speaker. I love the First Amendment. As soon as you graduate, you'll all be investment bankers. I've been where you at. I know you hate yourselves."

Update 9:00 pm: BWOG IS SHOCKED. STUDENTS WITH A BIG YELLOW SIGN JUST CAME ONTO THE STAGE. More students from the audience rushed the stage. The Minuteman and the students engaged in a tug of war with the banner. More people rushed the stage, prompting a fist-fight. One student was kicked in the head. A guy in a pony tail and the Minuteman started shouting the pledge of allegiance together as the rumble spun out of hand, "One nation! Under God! Indivisible!"

There was at least two minutes of chaos between students, other students and the Minutemen.

Update: 9:01 pm: Security came out, now the curtain is down. Students are still chanting, now everyone's filing out.

Update: 9:15 pm: Students outside shouting, "They say, 'get bent,' we say, 'let's fight!'"

Update: 9:22 pm: A Bwog correspondent calls in a tip. A student defending the Minuteman right outside the gates on 115th was encircled by a group of protesters after a heated personal fight with just one of the protesters. The protesters then shouted, "Racist, go home!" Security showed up, and they started breaking up. Student last seen laughing on phone with friends.