Students protested on campus against flying the purple-and-gold Confederate flag before and during LSU’s win over Auburn on Saturday.
The group walked from the African American Cultural Center to Tiger Stadium, waving anti-Confederate flag signs and chanting “ban the flag.”
Last week the LSU chapter of the NAACP called for the flag to be banned because they said it is a symbol of racism. Observers said about 20 state police officers accompanied marchers from the AACC.
Some protesters said surrounding crowds yelled back at them, but some tailgaters along the route said they did not even notice the protesters.
State Police Maj. Genny May, who walked with the group during the protest, said there were no safety problems or racist comments from tailgaters.
May said the police did not know about the protest until about two minutes before it started.
Westley Bayas, political science senior and protester, said there were spots along the route where tailgaters began yelling, but that people mostly seemed shocked or confused by the demonstration.
Bayas said protesters expected a more passionate response from bystanders because the march started after 2 p.m., when they suspected tailgaters would have had more alcohol to drink.
Some tailgaters supported the protest, Bayas said.
Ashley Lynn Sergeant, visiting psychology sophomore from Dillard University and the president of Dillard NAACP, participated in the march.
She said that some people along the route yelled at the protesters and that she heard profanities.
David Kador, computer engineering freshman and protester, held a sign that read “Let’s Save Unity” in front of the stadium.
Kador said while he was marching some people began chanting with the group, but there was also some negative feedback.
“They oppose us for this, but then they will watch the black players play,” Kador said. “We have to do this to stand for what we believe.”
While standing in front of the stadium, passing Auburn fans in blue and orange received a louder response from the crowd than the protesters.
The protest ended shortly after the stadium opened and protesters with tickets went inside.
The group sat in the student section near the field next to the tunnel where the football players enter and exit, popularly known as the “sit-down section.”
When the players came on and off the field, the group held up about six or seven signs with anti-Confederate flag messages.
The players did not respond to or openly acknowledge the protesters.
Donald Lewis, African-American studies graduate student, said the goal of the protest was to get Chancellor Sean O’Keefe, Athletic Director Skip Bertman, football coach Les Miles, basketball coach John Brady and other University officials to publicly ban the flag on campus.
The group in the stadium had about 20 students whom Lewis said were not part of any student organization.
A group of students plan to march from the Union to O’Keefe’s office this morning at 9:30 a.m. in protest of the flag, some protesters said outside the stadium.
Contact Ginger Gibson at [email protected]