Last week we learned that Sen. Ben Sasse was resigning in order to take a job as the new president of the University of Florida. Today, Sasse was on campus for a series of meetings with students and staff. But protesters attempted to join the meeting only to find out it had been moved to another room upstairs. That didn’t stop them from shouting and carrying on in response to a livestream shown on screens in the room.

Sasse left the student forum about 15 minutes early, prompting around 300 protestors to enter the room and chant for Sasse to leave the Swamp. Protestors on stage called Sasse homophobic and racist in between yelling from the audience.

“Get the f—k,” a protestor on stage called out.

“Out of our swamp!” The crowd roared in response…

Confusion ensued as an organizer announced the staff forum would be moved to the third floor, but protestors weren’t allowed to enter. Most protestors returned to the second floor ballroom after.

Around 3:50 p.m., a livestream of Ben Sasse and Rahul Patel was played on projectors around the President’s Ballroom in lieu of a third session that was originally scheduled in-person for UF staff.

The protestors crowded the center of the room, with a few student leaders taking the stage where Sasse was sitting just moments earlier.

“If you see Ben Sasse, shout at him,” a protestor said on stage. “Scare the s–t out of him.”

There are photos and videos of most of what happened. It looks like Sasse started answering questions from students a little after 1 pm local time.

So far, Sasse has fielded questions about LGBTQ rights, tenure, academic freedom and his relationship with China. The room still hasn’t filled as we look to wrap up the first forum in about 20 minutes. pic.twitter.com/FOG0HgjeRT

— Makiya Seminera (@makseminera) October 10, 2022

Meanwhile, protest got started outside with a professor helping to warm up the crowd. As you can see, this group was not pleased with the suggestion that Sasse might be against “wokeism” on campus.

Dr. Paul Ortiz, the president of the faculty union and a professor of history, said that Sasse’s comments on Chinese students disqualify him from becoming UF president.

“When you say, ‘It could have been worse,’ that is a point of privilege,” Ortiz said. pic.twitter.com/BLwUnjtJco

— Christian the Rocky Raccoon Defender (@vanityhack) October 10, 2022

Students then crowded inside and started chanting.

pic.twitter.com/Vem2iNAOYw

— Isabella Douglas (@_issadouglas) October 10, 2022

The chanting interrupted Sasse at one point. He made a joke about them having “good rhythm.”

Protestors are currently entering Emerson Hall. They’ve interrupted one of Sasse’s responses.

He joked about the protestors staying on rhythm with their chants. pic.twitter.com/qprHzXkZfz

— Makiya Seminera (@makseminera) October 10, 2022

Protesters’ first attempt to get into the room failed and the door was closed on them.

Protestors opened the door and entered the room. The forum temporarily paused as Sasse watched the group of protestors. He was now went back to responding to moderated questions. @TheAlligator pic.twitter.com/r4EkGwDFJR

— Makiya Seminera (@makseminera) October 10, 2022

But eventually they did get inside but only after Sasse had left. They decided to chant even though he wasn’t there to hear it.

Protesters have gotten into the forum hall and literally and figuratively taken the stage here pic.twitter.com/Lss4V0qZJt

— Christian the Rocky Raccoon Defender (@vanityhack) October 10, 2022

They celebrated the minor disruption of the schedule. Shouting Sasse down was clearly the goal.

BREAKING: Forums have ended early to allow protesters to express themselves.

— Makiya Seminera (@makseminera) October 10, 2022

When another forum was played on projectors inside the room from a remote location, protesters got irritated. They started chanting again even though no one could hear them.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Sasse’s third forum for staff is only being live-streamed at a remote location. The livestream is being played the protestors, who began chanting and booing. pic.twitter.com/TETinmSPxn

— Makiya Seminera (@makseminera) October 10, 2022

They made a fair amount of noise but in the end I don’t think there were more than 100-125 students involved on a campus which has nearly 35,000 undergraduates. In other words, this is a tiny sliver of the campus and probably not representative of how most students feel.