Stephen Colbert and Yo-Yo Ma Event at Harvard Interrupted by Fire Alarm Amid Union Protests
An event featuring comedian Stephen Colbert and cellist Yo-Yo Ma at Harvard University's Sanders Theatre was cut short due to a fire alarm. The incident occurred approximately 40 minutes into their conversation, titled 'Arts for Life’s Sake,' which was part of the Office of the Arts’ 'Learning from Performers' series celebrating its 50th anniversary. A sold-out crowd, along with Colbert and Ma, was evacuated from the building. Outside, a group of about 50 protesters from the Harvard Graduate Students Union-United Auto Workers (HGSU-UAW) were demonstrating. The union, currently on strike, had previously urged Colbert and Ma to cancel their appearance in solidarity. While the union stated they had no involvement with the fire alarm, their picketing outside the venue, involving drums, signs, and chants, was audible inside the theater prior to the evacuation. No cause for the fire alarm was identified, and the 90-minute event did not resume.
