California-USC game delayed after students protest professor’s stalking suspension

Students sat at midfield linking arms in protest before the start of Saturday’s University of California, Berkeley game against USC.

Roughly 15 people protested, delaying the game several minutes.

The students were eventually placed in handcuffs and escorted away.

Rumors circulated online that the protest was in support of Palestinians in their conflict with Israel, but the protestors were supporting UC Berkeley professor Ivonne del Valle, who was suspended for alleged stalking.

Some were wearing shirts that said “Justice for Ivonne.”

KQED reported three investigations found del Valle repeatedly harassed and stalked Joshua Clover, a professor at UC Davis, for roughly four years and even violated orders not to get in touch with him. Del Valle was also suspended for nine months in 2021. The outlet says the protest had been planned out.

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“We want Ivonne back,” said Christián González Reyes, a student who KQED says “organized the campaign.” 

“We’re not going to be silent anymore.”

“We were aware a protest may take place at today’s game, and our top priority was the safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches and fans,” the California athletic department told Fox News Digital. “We are grateful for the work our security personnel did today to ensure we had a peaceful resolution.”

Del Valle admitted to visiting Clover’s mother’s home, calling his office line at least 10 times within a 90-minute span and attaching a note outside his door that said, “Here lives a pervert.” The investigation also found she once keyed his car, contacted his friends and posted a photo of his partner online.

“If I had the opportunity to do things differently, I would do them differently,” del Valle told the outlet, adding she was “not proud.”

Del Valle agreed not contact Clover, his family, or friends in 2020, but she allegedly violated that order the following year, resulting in the nine-month suspension.

Del Valle has been at UC Berkeley since 2009. Students previously rallied at the university Sept. 21.

More than 275 people and 15 organizations have signed an online petition calling for her reinstatement.