Tuesday, April 16, 3:30pm, Oscar Ritchie Hall [Theater], 225 Terrace Dr., Kent, Ohio

Kyle Rittenhouse, deadly shooter during Wisconsin protests in 2020, is scheduled to speak at a campus event on April 16 at Kent State University. Gaige Grosskreutz, surviving victim of the deadly massacre, alongside Kent State students, will be hosting a press conference, followed by a teach-in, on campus to condemn Rittenhouse’s status as a guest speaker and to highlight the harm that his hateful and violent white supremacy inflicts on our campuses and communities. As the anniversary of the May 4th shooting approaches, Kyle Rittenhouse has no place being welcomed on our campuses.

What: Press conference to condemn the actions of Kyle Rittenhouse and highlight the dangers of welcoming him on our campus.

Where: Kent State University, Oscar Ritchie Hall [Theater], 225 Terrace Dr, Kent, Ohio

When: Tuesday, April 16, starting at 3:30pm

Who:

• Ohio Student Association (OSA)

• Spanish and Latine Student Association (SALSA)

• Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)

• Black United Students (BUS)

• Ignite

Why: Kyle Rittenhouse’s presence as a guest speaker not only disrespects the legacy of bloodshed endured by protesters on Kent State’s campus but also embodies a deeply disturbing ideology of white supremacism, which students across Ohio find intolerable and a threat to our safety. The events of May 4th, when the National Guard callously took the lives of four student protesters and left nine others wounded, continue to cast a long shadow over the collective consciousness of Kent State’s student body. It is deeply unsettling for Kent State students to witness Rittenhouse, whose notoriety stems from his fatal shooting of two Black Lives Matter protesters and injuring another, including Gaige Grosskreutz, being given a platform to speak. Such a decision not only undermines the values of inclusivity and respect but also dishonors the enduring legacy of Kent’s campus.

Contacts: Clara Conover <clara@ohorganizing.org>, Kris Crider <kristian@ohorganizing.org>, or Aimée Flores, <aflore17@kent.edu>

The Ohio Student Association is a statewide grassroots organization anchored by student-led chapters on college campuses across Ohio that organize issue campaigns to fight for racial, economic, and educational justice.