WATCH: Protestors delay Penn-Yale game by more than an hour at halftime

Protestors delayed a college football game between Penn and Yale by more than an hour before they were escorted off the field following halftime in the Ivy League contest.

According to a flyer handed out to Penn students at the game, the protestors were targeting three main points in their showing Saturday: to save the UC Townhomes, to urge the university divest from fossil fuels and to pay local taxes through the PILOTs program.

A picture of the flyer was shared by Bella DiAmore, the associate sports editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Penn students rush the field nearing the end of halftime of a Penn-Yale football game, protesting climate and community justice from Penn’s administration. pic.twitter.com/LiPkDmC5VO

— Bella DiAmore (@belladiamore) October 22, 2022

The final few students who were escorted off the field had their hands zip-tied behind their backs as they were escorted from the stadium, videos tweeted by DiAmore showed.

The two teams went to halftime tied at 10-10. Both teams were undefeated in the Ivy League standings going into Saturday’s game.

The game at Penn was the homecoming game for the Quakers and ended in dramatic fashion. The Quakers scored the game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds remaining when senior running back Jonathan Mulatu scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to make the final score 20-13 Penn.

The win moved Penn to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the conference, keeping the Quakers tied with Princeton atop the 2022 Ivy League standings.

Penn last won the Ivy League in 2016.

The Quakers have had a remarkable turnaround in 2022 following a 1-6 finish in the Ivy League and a 3-7 overall record in 2021.

Penn issued a statement following the protests, which was provided by the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The intentional disruption of today’s football game was neither an appropriate expression of free speech nor consistent with Penn’s open expression guidelines. It delayed the start of the second half by approximately one-hour, frustrating student-athletes from both schools, disappointing fans and alumni who had come to watch the Homecoming football game.

Further, the student protesters have been afforded multiple opportunities to protest, express their concerns, and genuinely engage in productive dialogue, but have instead continued to find ways to disrupt the operations of the University. The student protesters’ conduct does not advance their policy concerns and impinges upon the rights of others in the community to participate in the life of the campus. Consistent with University policy, any student believed to have been involved in disrupting and delaying today’s football game will be referred to the Office of Community Standards and Accountability. 

The University of Pennsylvania supports free speech, thought, inquiry, and lawful assembly. Penn’s Guidelines on Open Expression champion these rights while also affirming that University business – such as classes, meetings, games, or speaking events – shall not be infringed upon or disrupted by protests or demonstrations.