On April 1, 2016, the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government invited sitting CIA Director John Brennan to speak about national security issues facing the United States. Less than 20 minutes into his speech, a group of individuals led and organized by UPenn SDS interrupted the Director in an attempt to prevent the rest of his presentation. An Irish man who attempted to politely ask that the protesters allow Mr. Brennan to speak was told to "go back to [his] own country," while the demonstration later escalated into a violent encounter involving a scuffle with security guards and an altercation that involved one protester throwing an elderly woman over a row of seats. 

Adding insult to injury, UPenn SDS took advantage of the termination of John Brennan's event to promote an upcoming event, seemingly unfazed by the violence the protest spawned.

As one Penn student puts it, "the cornerstone of our university... is free expression, mutual respect, and diversity of opinion." This petition aims to restore some semblance of this notion to Penn's campus. By calling on UPenn SDS to formally apologize for its actions, we are not condemning their viewpoints on drones, CIA tactics, or the U.S. military. Instead, we are condemning their disregard for the security of their fellow classmates, peers, and Philadelphia residents. We are asking that they acknowledge this mistake so we may show the world that Penn students are conscientious about the greatest issues and human interactions affecting our world today.