ANN ARBOR, mich. – The Bo Schembechler statue outside of Schembechler Hall on the University of Michigan campus was vandalized with red paint and graffiti on Wednesday.
The words “BO KNEW” and the phrase “hail to the victims” were written on the steps next to the statue. The phrase is in support of the survivors of former university physician Dr. Robert Anderson.
Read: Bo Schembechler statue vandalized with red paint, graffiti: ‘Hail to the victims’
“I know he’s a football legend. We love our football at the University of Michigan, but at the same time, there are also people who love being able to feel safe on campus, you know,” freshman Robert Williams said. “To be quite honest. I don’t blame the person doing it.”
Former student-athlete and survivor of Anderson’s abuse, John Vaughn, has been protesting outside of the university president’s house for 47 days. He said the vandalism was the result of decades of anger.
“I don’t condone vandalism. I think there is a level of frustration here in Ann Arbor and on campus,” Vaughn said.
Just days before rivals University of Michigan and Ohio State go head-to-head in a football game, players from both football teams are speaking out against a culture of silence.
Rocky Radcliff said he is a survivor of abuses from Richard Strauss, another team doctor with decades-worth of accusations against him.
“It shows the outrage of the student body, of the public at large,” Radcliff said.
Security cameras are in the area where the vandalism took place. The investigation is ongoing.