NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A protest at the Yale Bowl on Saturday broke into a football game.
Harvard and Yale’s competing colors of blue and crimson yielded to a united black, red, white, and green displayed by students of both schools at the 139th playing of The Game.
Near the northwest endzone on the Yale side of the stadium, demonstrators chanted “Ceasefire Now” as they waved Palestinian flags and held up banners reading “Free Palestine” and “End the Occupation.” This demonstration, which began in the third quarter, ended long before the fourth quarter began.
Smaller protests engulfed other parts of the stadium.
Near the southwest endzone on the Harvard side of the field, a group waved scores of small Palestinian flags. Higher up in the Yale Bowl, another group waved much larger Palestinian flags — and later moved nearer to the field, where they impeded the view of some fans. Many Ivy League students wore the familiar black-and-white keffiyehs, presumably in solidarity with the Palestinians and not out of cultural appropriation.
One lone counter-protester on the Yale side of the field, perhaps anticipating the demonstration, unfurled an Israeli flag and held it aloft.
Saturday’s spectacle did not disrupt the game as a demonstration did four years ago at the Yale Bowl. Students demanding “climate justice,” a cancelation of Puerto Rico’s debt, and other causes invaded the field and delayed the game for about an hour. On Saturday, a strong police presence, repeated warnings against entering the field of play, and blockades at the stairs leading from the ancient structure to the field all suggested law enforcement and Yale anticipated possible trouble. (RELATED from Daniel J. Flynn: Climate Change Activists Hijack Harvard–Yale Football Game)
Most of the spectators seemed indifferent. Chants of “Let’s Go Harvard” drowned out the political chants and the wave and crowd renditions of “Don’t Stop Believing” provided distractions to the game. But the game aptly distracted from the distractions.
Yale blocked a punt and a point-after touchdown kick to dominate, particularly the line of scrimmage, during the first half. Harvard entered halftime lucky to face a 10–6 deficit. The Crimson’s anemic offense came to life in the second half, scoring two touchdowns during a frenzied fourth quarter to go ahead 18–17. Late in the fourth, Yale threw an interception that looked to seal their fate. But shortly thereafter, Yale rose from the dead by forcing a fumble on a quarterback keeper. Quarterback Nolan Grooms then capitalized by throwing a touchdown to put the Bulldogs ahead for good 23–18.
The dramatic final few minutes gave Yale a share of the Ivy League title along with Harvard and Dartmouth.
