George Mason students protest Youngkin speaking at commencement

Fairfax, VA - students gathered outside of horizon Hall on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University in protest of Governor Youngkin's upcoming commencement speech. Signs with Governor Youngkin's face in a circle with a red slash through it waved high above a small crowd in between the Johnson Center Horizon Hall and the Fenwick Library.

"Who keeps us safe," Julian Lee asked the crowd through a megaphone.

"We keep us safe," was the rallying cry from students opposed to the university's invitation to the governor.

This is not without contentious text. The university Brands itself on its diversity equity and inclusion. Governor Youngkin ran on a platform of removing accurate history curriculum from Virginia schools, and forcibly outing potentially closeted LGBTQIA+ grade school students.

Culture wars enraptured Virginians during the last gubernatorial race; though, Youngkin has avoided the LGBTQ community at large when he throws his hat into the ring. That didn't stop his supporters at the counter-protest had no problem diving right into anti-Semitic and homophobic talking points. 

"Oh so you're a M.A.P.," one counter-protester asked, egging on students they discovered were gay. "Minor attracted persons. You said you were gay,  so that means you're attracted to minors," they said with a big smile. They and another counter-protester were climbing onto the raised curb outside the Fenwick tea shop facing the crowd, holding their pro-Youngkin signs in front of those of some smaller protesters. 

The two counter-protesters left when people in the crowd started smoking. The main gathering dwindled, moving towards the Southside Diner where they played music and danced celebrating the larger turnout and the long stand. 

I reached out to Governor Youngkin's office and the office of President Washington of GMU and am awaiting their response.