Dear fellow Patriots:
Earlier today a protest that began on Wilkins Plaza on the Fairfax Campus moved into the Johnson Center, at which time an altercation broke out among protestors and a counter-protestor. University police intervened quickly to stop this and detained three individuals, who were not formally arrested. A criminal investigation is ongoing, and upon completion of the inquiry a referral will be made to the Office of Student Conduct. George Mason University will use all tools available to hold those accountable who violate the law, endanger others’ safety, and disrupt our educational mission.
As we have stated repeatedly, protestors have a constitutional right to speak their minds as long as their actions remain lawful, peaceful, and non-disruptive to our educational mission. Today’s actions violated all three of those conditions.
As committed as we are to maintaining everyone’s constitutional rights at Mason, this university is equally committed to maintaining a safe and lawful environment required for our educational mission to be possible.
Sincerely,
Gregory Washington
President