Athletic director Jeff Compher is the latest East Carolina official to issue a statement responding to the controversial protest by several members of the school’s band before Saturday’s home football game against Central Florida. The band was booed by its own fans after about a dozen musicians kneeled down while playing the national anthem in protest of the treatment of minorities by police around the country. It’s a gesture popularized by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The ECU band was booed again by Pirates fans when it returned to the field to do its halftime show. “We are working with the university and the school of music in response to the incident with the band prior to the game on Saturday,” Compher said in a statement issued Monday. “While the Marching Band does not report to Athletics, we do count on them to be an important part of the game day experience. “There are ongoing conversations with the university, the school of music and the band, and we are confident that there will be a positive resolution for future games. Our football program relies on the passion of our fan base and we will continue to proudly lead our team out of the tunnel with the American flag for each and every game.” ECU’s next home game is on Thursday night, Oct. 13 against Navy. The military affiliation of the opponent makes the subject of national anthem protests at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium all the more sensitive. According to a joint statement issued Monday by ECU director of athletic bands Dr. William Staub, director of the School of Music Christopher Ulffers and dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication Dr. Christopher Buddo, band members have been warned against staging future protests. “College is about learning, and it is our expectation that the members of the Marching Pirates will learn from this experience and fulfill their responsibilities,” said the statement. “While we affirm the right of all our students to express their opinions, protests of this nature by the Marching Pirates will not be tolerated moving forward.”
