Stephen Colbert rushed out of Harvard event, accosted by union protesters
New York Post • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Stephen Colbert was rushed out of a Harvard event after a fire alarm was pulled amid protests by the Harvard Graduate Student Union (HGSU), who opposed his decision to cross their picket line during their ongoing strike.
- Cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed with Colbert despite union pleas to cancel or move the event in solidarity with striking graduate students demanding better wages and protections.
- The HGSU denied responsibility for pulling the fire alarm and emphasized that they had formally warned Colbert and Ma about the picket and requested the event be rescheduled or held off-site.
- The strike, ongoing since October 27, has halted graduate classes as union members protest for fair contracts, and some public figures like author John Green have shown support by avoiding crossing the picket line.
- Both Colbert and Ma’s unions reportedly reached out to them to respect the strike, but the event proceeded inside, with union members frustrated that the celebrities refused to engage with them afterward.
