Multiple student groups and workers’ unions protested during the presidential inauguration of Melissa Gilliam today.
Boston University Graduate Workers Union, BU Students for Justice in Palestine, BU Young Democratic Socialists of America and BU Palestine Liberation Coalition jointly demonstrated during ceremony activities.
Protests began with a picket at 1 p.m. in front of Agganis Arena.
Carlos Campos Jr., a doctoral student, said BUGWU’s first protest of the day was “based around the unfair labor practices strike.”
According to Campos, the union wants its voices heard by the University. With the appointment of a new president, he said the union hopes this marks the start of a new chapter where the BU president will “stretch out her hand” and work with the union.
“One of the things that we’re trying to do is to show our discontent with the lack of progress that’s been happening at the bargaining table,” Campos said.
According to Campos, many graduate workers felt proud of the ResLife Union for reaching its tentative agreement with the University.
“They’ve been able to win a great victory, and it only inspires us more to continue fighting for a fair contract,” Campos said.
YDSA and SJP joined BUGWU on the picket at the first protest outside Agganis. Both groups have an established relationship with BUGWU and were open to supporting the protests, Campos said.
“Frankly, they’ve been among the most supportive groups of undergraduate students during the strike,” Campos said.
SJP decided to protest the inauguration due to Gilliam’s “dismissed calls to disclose and divest from apartheid Israel,” according to a post on the group’s Instagram on Sept. 23.
In the same post, SJP cited its reasons for protesting to Gilliam’s refusal to meet with unions over the summer and her lack of action to prevent retaliation against striking grad workers.
During Gilliam’s inaugural address, protesters interrupted her speech by chanting and waving a banner in the stands. Security escorted them out of the building.
BU Spokesperson Colin Riley said he wasn’t surprised that protesters started chanting during the inauguration.
“I think we were prepared for it,” he said.
Gilliam acknowledged the protest in her inaugural address shortly after.
“As you can see, we have a proud history of advocacy and protest here at Boston University,” she said.
At 3 p.m., BUGWU began a “Workers’ Inauguration” outside the George Sherman Union. At the protest, unionized workers from across the Boston area showed support for the graduate workers.
UNITE HERE Local 26, a union representing Boston hotel workers, was one of the unions that showed up and voiced support for the protest.
“Let’s show up strong and make it clear that BU works because we do,” BUGWU wrote in an Instagram post.
Megan Amato, Crystal Yormick and Maya Mitchell contributed reporting.
