UW-Madison investigating video that shows university employee on motorcycle running over protesters

MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison is investigating a video posted by the Instagram account @bipocatwisco on Saturday that shows a university employee attempting to run over four protesters with his motorcycle outside the state capitol building on Friday.

The man in the video seen driving through a small crowd is Rich Yaeger, a Senior Power Plant Operator on the university’s campus. The protesters were using their cars to prevent fellow protesters from being run over when Yaeger maneuvered his motorcycle between their cars.

The account, which shares experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color on UW’s campus, wrote “a man that is willing to run through protestors should not have access or a position of leadership in any situation ESPECIALLY one where he may interact with other BIPOC folx.”

 

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TW: VIOLENCE, RACISM • Yesterday at the capitol a Trump supporter ran over 4 protestors with his motorcycle. • As these protestors were using their cars to prevent fellow protestors from being run over this man decided to maneuver his motorcycle between their cars. In response to this the protestors used their bodies to block him until he eventually ran them over. • We wanted to get the word out especially since this violent individual is affiliated with the university. • This man is named Rich Yaeger. I am not naming him to have others attack him, I name him because he is in a position of leadership at a power plant on the UW campus. A man that is willing to run through protestors should not have access or a position of leadership in any situation ESPECIALLY one where he may interact with other BIPOC folx. If you’d like to contact the UW to voice your concerns for his actions, you can do so here: https://physicalplant.wisc.edu/contact-us/ • Lastly, please just stay safe y’all!! • #bipocatwisco

A post shared by BIPOC at Wisco (@bipocatwisco) on Nov 7, 2020 at 9:21am PST

Many students commented on the video tagging the university, one user writing “he needs to be fired immediately.”

Representatives of the school say the university will take appropriate action when their investigation is complete. They refuse to comment on the incident until then.

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