A protest led by civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton was held outside the New York City office of Harvard alumnus Bill Ackman on Thursday.
The protest was sparked by Ackman’s criticism of Harvard’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which came after the resignation of the university’s former president Claudine Gay.
Sharpton accused Ackman of declaring war on DEI and affirmative action, stating that he was defining himself as a right-winger when it came to racial equality. The National Action Network, Sharpton’s organisation, was present during the protest.
Ackman was a leading figure in a campaign to remove Gay from her position as Harvard president. This week, he made his feelings clear on DEI programs in a 4,000-word social media post. Ackman described them as racist and illegal, alleging that they create an oppressor/oppressed framework and promote anti-Jewish and anti-Israel hate speech on campus.
Sharpton said that while he hadn’t spoken to Gay directly, the protest was held to counter attacks on DEI initiatives. Ackman’s criticism is part of a wider effort to fight against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, he claimed. The protest outside Ackman’s office was intended to show that Sharpton and his supporters were willing to fight against such efforts.
